More than it Seems
by ElectraGoob
Summary: Link, Sheik, Dark, Tetra, Midna, Zelda, and Aryll are in for an adventure unlike any other. The tables are turned when it's Link and Aryll in trouble. Will the rest of the gang be able to save them before it's too late? Or die trying to save them?


Link woke up that morning and looked at the picture on his wall. It was a class picture from the fall before. He saw his friends standing around him. He saw Midna giving Dark bunny ears, Tetra and Zelda standing back to back with their fingers shaped like guns in front of them, he saw Sheik hiding behind the two girls, he saw himself pretending to pick his nose, he saw others in his class, Ruto blowing a kiss, Malon trying to look as pretty as she could, it failed, Navi was talking, like that was a shock, Ilia was looking up at the sky, she's so dumb, and Ganondorf was glaring at the cameraman.

"I miss them," Link said to himself as he got out of bed. He went to the closet and pulled out his favorite pair of jeans, his green shirt, "I always wear green," and his green baseball cap. He looked at the clock, "6:45!" He ran out the door and down to the kitchen where Aryl was just finishing setting the table for breakfast.

"You better hurry and cook dad breakfast," she said with a look of fear in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry," he ran to the refrigerator and pulled out some eggs and bacon. He then began to fry them just like his father always liked them. As soon as the clock struck 7 the whole house went into silence. Link looked at his little sister who was just finished with eating breakfast and he took both their plates and placed them in the sink and began to wash them quickly. As soon as he had put them away footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. A very large man walked into the kitchen.

"Humph," he said as he sat down. Aryl placed the plate of food in front of him and backed into Link quickly. Link grabbed her shoulders. Aryl looked up at him and the two made their way to the door and grabbed their backpacks. "Just where do you think you're going this early in the morning?" The voice boomed from the kitchen.

Link took a step forward, "School, it is the first day of school."

The man stood up from his seat and walked up to them, "In that case," he came closer and closer, he then held up an arm. Link grabbed Aryl's wrist ready to run for it. "Come give daddy a hug!"

Link and Aryl stood in silence for a moment then she pulled out of Link's grip and hugged her father, she let go and turned to Link. "We'll be late, c'mon Aryl." Link took her hand gently and walked slowly out the door, "bye dad."

The two walked out to the car and Link opened the back door for his sister, she got in and grabbed onto his backpack, "Don't do anything to make him mad, please," tears were filling her eyes slightly.

Link knelt down and wiped her face, "Don't cry," he kissed her on the head.

The two went to school. It was Aryl's first day of high school and Link's junior year. As the two got out of the car two girls ran up and hugged them both.

"Hey baby, how've ya been all summer?"

"Fine, I'll be showing my little sister the-"

"Your little sister," the other girl squealed, "Aww, she's so cute!"

"Yes, thank you," Link pulled on Aryl to go.

"Wait Link, you have something on your chin," she licked her thumb and tried to wipe it off.

"That's enough Ruto!" Link ran with Aryl behind her, he didn't stop until he was inside. Once inside, he took her to the freshman lockers and opened the locker and started putting her books in.

"Link?"

He put more things in.

"Link."

He started putting his own books in the locker.

"Link, stop it!"

He stopped and looked at her. He realized what he was doing and began to undo it. "Sorry, Aryl, I just hate it when she does that."

"I understand Link, but I think I can handle my locker for now."

"I'll come by to make sure you can get to class alright."

"Go to your own locker and get settled in 'kay?" Aryl gave him a hug, "Thank you."

Link hugged her back.

"She's a little young for you don't ya think?"

Link spun around to see an orange haired girl with a black and blue shirt and skirt.

"Midna!"

The girl smiled at him and Aryl, "You must be Aryl, you're prettier than Link made you out to be, and he made you out to be adorable!" She winked at Link.

"And you're a lot prettier than Link made you out to be too."

"How pretty did he make me?"

"Very."

"Good, c'mon Link, let's see how close everyone's lockers are!" Midna grabbed Link's arm and pulled him to the junior hall. They got there just as another girl got there. The three collided and fell to the ground. The other girl dropped everything in her arms and started laughing. She laughed so hard that once she stood up she fell to her knees again.

"I recognize that uncontrollable laughter," said Link pulling the girl to her feet. As he did so he poked her in the stomach, making her laugh harder. Once he poked her she shoved him in the stomach so hard that he fell to the ground, only making her laugh again. Midna, watching in utter glee, put her arm around the girl's shoulder. "Do it again!"

Link stood up, "okay I deserved it."

"Never say you deserve a hit like that!" The voice came from behind him. A figure came slyly out of the darkness and put Link in a head lock.

"Whatever, Sheik!"

"So, Tetra, any good jokes?"

The laughing girl tried holding in the laughs. After about two minutes of that fight she stood up and let out a sigh, "Nope."

"I got one," Midna jumped up from the floor.

"NO," the two boys lunged at her, causing Tetra to let out a snort. All three looked at her in fear of another laughing fit.

"What?" Tetra picked up her bag and papers, "Let's go see our lockers."

The small group walked to their lockers.

"Well, we're pretty close," Link finished putting his books in.

"Not all of us are here though," Tetra was putting a pirate flag on her locker, "lovely."

"Well I'm here now," a boy walked up to them, "hey, I'm right here in the middle."

"Dark!" Midna ran up and hugged him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Nice to see you too."

The other three looked at the two hugging, "I think I'm going to loose my breakfast," Sheik made a gagging noise.

"You're just jealous." Dark put his arm around Midna's waist, "Girls always love the bad boys."

"And I'm not bad?"

"Heck no."

"Like it matters." (Tetra)

"Hey Zelda!" Link wanted to end the argument.

"Hey Link. Sorry I'm late, you know how it is."

"I don't think anyone knows how it is being the daughter of the governor," Tetra leaned up against her locker and winked.

"Well, it's annoying."

"I know how you feel," Midna got out of Dark's grip and gave Zelda a hug.

"And how do you know this," Zelda looked at Midna.

"My mom was the head singer of the Twilight Princesses." (Funny aren't I?)

"Oh, so I guess that means you can sing?" Link crossed his arms at her.

"I never said that."

"Hey Midna, if you can sing, you should join choir with me and Tetra," Zelda held her hand.

"You can get in choir if you sounded like a mule on steroids," Midna smiled.

"I heard that they were auditioning this year. You can't just show up anymore."

"Why's that?"

Link jumped in, "The choir sounded too much like a mule on steroids!"

The group laughed.

The 5 minute bell rang.

"I have to go and see that my sister is okay with finding her first class."

"Wait Link," Zelda waved, "What class do you have first?"  
"History."

"Me too! I'll see you there."  
As Link ran down the hallway to his sister he got very excited. "I wonder how many classes I have with Zelda this year." When he got to Aryl she was surrounded by a bunch of guys. "Hey!" Link pushed through the guys to find Aryl in the middle very scared, "Back off or I'll throw you all into the same dumpster and throw you out the chemistry lab window on the fourth floor you hear?"

All the guys backed off. "Link, I wanna go home."

"You have to go to class though."

"I don't care the guys here are horny toads."

Link sighed.

"I'll take her to class for you." A little girl with a harp and a small boy with a fiddle came walking up to them, "I'm Medli and this is Fado."

"Thank you," Link gently pushed Aryl to them, "take good care of her."

Aryl looked back at Link and smiled, "Thanks Link."

Link got to the classroom just as the bell rang. "Sorry Mr. Tingle."

"No matter Mr. Link, sit down next to," he looked around the room for an open seat, "Miss Malon."

Link cringed to hear the words come out of his mouth.

Malon winked at him and pulled the desk closer to her.

Link walked to her and pulled the chair back a little further than it was before. He looked in that direction and saw Zelda sitting on the other side of him. That made him happier. He smiled at Zelda and sat facing toward her for that period.

The end of the period came too soon in Link's eyes, because he was staring at Zelda the entire time.

As the two walked to their lockers Link noticed that their lockers were right next to each other. "So what do you have next block?"

Zelda pulled out a piece of paper and looked at it. "I have science."

Link was kind of sad, "I have Literature."

"Aw, too bad, I was hoping we'd have another class together."

Link smiled when she said this, "yeah, well I guess I'll see you at lunch then."

Tetra looked over his shoulder, "So you have lit. next?"

Link jumped, "yes," he said quickly.

She laughed a little to herself, "Chill dude, I'm not gonna tell."

"Tell who, what, I mean," he grunted and threw himself against the lockers. "How long have you known?"

"Oh please, how long has anyone known?"

Link looked at her and she grabbed his arm, "I have Lit. next too, I'll walk you there."

"I don't like you changing the subject, Tetra."

"You don't like cabbages too."

"What?"

"What," she copied.

"Cabbage?"

"Did I say that?"

"Yes."

"Good, 'cause that's what I meant to say."

Link rolled his eyes and the two entered the Literature room.

"Hey Mr. Deku," Tetra dragged Link to the seat next to hers. "Sit."

"You're bossy."

"I'm also very good at throwing freshmen into trashcans and then out of the chemistry lab on the third floor."

"I said the fourth."

"Either way, the lab is on the first floor, and it has a ground window that would be only a foot drop."

"They don't know that."

"Not yet."

"They were coming onto my sister."

"She's able to take care of herself."

"Not at that age."

"Weren't you coming onto girls at that age too?"

"This is exactly why she's not allowed to be near any of those guys."

"And that would be because?"

"Do you remember my freshman year girlfriend?"

Tetra looked over to Ruto.

"She never let go."

"She's looking at you."

"Who?"

"Who do you think? Gosh you're stupi-" The bell rang.

"The bell has rung, the students rise to greet their teacher, the teacher nods, the students sit, the books open for the days lesson on," Mr. Deku pointed to the board, "descriptions." The class sat in silence.

Tetra took the chance to be funny, "Descriptions of what Mr. Deku?"

"A perfect question Miss Tetra. A description of what, what are we describing? Summer, the sights, the smells, the sounds, the feeling, the taste, describe your summer."

"Mr. Deku, I think that we should all go outside for better inspiration."

"Alas, you only need the inspiration of your memory." Mr. Deku walked to one side of the room and pointed to a student, "You, what did you see this summer?"

"TV?"  
The class laughed a little.

"I think we can be a little more creative than that. You, what did you see this summer?"  
"Carnivals."

"Brilliant, carnivals, now you, what did you smell?"

"Sweat."

"Try again."

"Ooh, I smelled campfires and grilled hamburgers!"

"Yes. Now what did you hear?"  
Link raised his hand, "Kids playing outside in the garden sprinkler."

"Good, good, now feelings," he looked to the students who had not said anything, "Miss Ruto, what did you feel this summer?"

"Love," she said dazed, she was looking at Link.

"I wasn't going for that," Mr. Deku saw where she was looking. "Anything better Miss Ruto?"

"Link," she said without thinking.

Link looked at her shocked from the other side of the room and squirmed away a little. Tetra laughed at her, "Not feelings for people stupid, feelings of the summer like heat and getting wet when you jump into a pool!"

Ruto sat up in her chair quickly realizing what happened, "I didn't mean, I mean, um, uh."

"Tongue tied Ruto?" Tetra laughed even harder at the joke.

Link only sat in silence.

"That's enough class."

The rest of the class period went by slowly for Link. Tetra was having the time of her life.

At lunch the group all sat at a table. Tetra told the story. "If I ever loved a class before today I love literature more."

The small group of friends all laughed together, Link included.

"I can't believe that after all this time she still has a huge crush on you," Dark said shoving a chicken finger into his mouth.

Midna sat next to him and looked at his food, "Just wondering, why are they called chicken fingers? I mean chickens don't have fingers and they don't even look like fingers. They're more like strips. And even then, why do people want to call them fingers?"

"Because," said Sheik, "People want others to think that they are evil carnivorous monsters by making it sound like you are eating someone's fingers, that's why people who are really sick who actually eat people say that humans taste like chicken. So in conclusion we can only come to the conclusion that the chicken fingers Dark is eating are actually human fingers."

Everyone stared at him.

"Fact," he said with an evil smile.

"Cool," Midna took one and ate it, "I'm an evil carnivore."

Dark took a bite out of her sandwich, "Even."

Link stood up and looked around.

"What are you looking for Link?" Zelda sat down next to him without him knowing.

"I'm looking for Aryl. This was supposed to be her lunch block." He sat down not expecting Zelda to be there and sat half on her lap.

He blushed hard and scooted off of her. Zelda laughed and Tetra elbowed Link in the side and winked. "Way to be subtle," she whispered. Link glared at her. Tetra only smiled slyly.

Zelda regained her composure and smiled. "I'm sure she's here somewhere."

Link became very uncomfortable. "I need to know where she is." He got up and walked around the lunchroom.

"Was it something I said?" Zelda looked down at her food.

"Now Zelda, don't you pay him any mind," Midna was trying to be all formal.

"It's his sister's first day and Link is really nervous for her." Sheik kicked Zelda gently from across the table. Zelda gave him a look and started scanning the room for him.

"I didn't know that. I should apologize."

"It's okay, really," Tetra poked Zelda in the side.

Link went to the lunch lady and told her that he was looking for his sister, she pointed to a little table in the corner. When Link got there he was relieved to see Aryl with Medli and Fado. He knelt down beside Aryl and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "How's your first day?"

Aryl turned and hugged him, "Great! I made new friends and they say that we can make a cool group just like yours."

"Well is that so?" Link got up and smiled to the others at the table, "well then I guess I should let you guys all have the rest of the lunch period to think of ways you can outdo our friendship." He winked and mouthed "Thank you" to the kids there and walked away.

The next block for him was Math. He hated math and didn't understand it at all. When he walked into the room he cringed to see both Malon and Ruto sitting together with one chair in between them. He looked for anyone else he knew and was surprised to see everyone there, Dark, Midna, Sheik, Tetra, and Zelda. He ran to them and sat with them. They all agreed that this would be their favorite period, but Tetra was dead set on having Literature as her favorite period.

At the end of class the girls all stood together and talked. The guys all listened.

"Alright, auditions for choir are on Thursday, we should all meet and practice on Wednesday." Tetra was taking charge.

"But I have horseback riding lessons on Wednesday," Zelda retorted.

"We can meet at the riding center then," Midna stated.

"But I don't have a ride," noted Tetra.

"Oh, neither do I," Midna realized.

"Can't you get a ride from Dark," Zelda mentioned.

"Oh, right," Midna looked at him.

"Only if someone else is going that's a dude."

Sheik and Link looked at each other.

Link knew that Wednesday was not a good day to do anything but stay home after school with Aryl, he couldn't leave her alone. "I can't, I'm babysitting."

"What? Who," Sheik looked in shock of the idea.

"Aryl."

"Link," Sheik really didn't want to drive Tetra, "Aryl's what? 14, she can take care of herself-"

"No she can't, he might-"

"He," Midna was confused, "he who?"

"I mean _She_ might get into trouble and need me there so I can't go, I just can't."

Sheik groaned, "Tetra's such a backseat driver."

Tetra elbowed him in the side, "Alright, but you're babying her too much, let her grow up."

Link knew that Tetra was right, but he couldn't take the risk of letting her be home alone. Especially after the last time he did.

After the conversation the group departed from one another.

Link and Aryl went out to the car and Link opened the door for her. Aryl got in and they drove home. Aryl spent the whole time telling Link about her day. She told him of her favorite teachers and classes. She also told him of her new friends. Medli was very nice and loved to play her harp, while she played Fado would play too and Aryl would sing. They were making a lovely band together. Other children also came and joined their little group. Kotana played guitar and Mira danced. She had a great day at school. When they got home Link looked at the clock. 3 o'clock on the dot. Just how he liked it. He sent Aryl up to her room and told her to get her homework done. He went to the kitchen and began diner. He did as much homework as he could as he cooked. Soon Aryl came down and helped set the table and finish the meatloaf. "Do we really have to have this?" Aryl was not interested in meatloaf that night.

"Its dad's favorite, and we want him to eat what he likes."

At 6:15 the door swung open. Link and Aryl could tell by the footsteps heading toward them that he was not happy. They stood from their place at the table and stood next to the stove. "Hi dad, how was your da-"

"I don't have to tell you anything about my day!" Their dad said taking a step toward Aryl who angled herself behind Link, said, "I'm sorry."

Link placed his hand on her shoulder. "We made Meatloaf for you."

"It's about time you made something I actually liked, those eggs and bacon this morning was terrible."

Link took Aryl to the stairs and waved her up them. "I didn't mean to displease you dad."

"It doesn't matter now," he placed both hands on the table in front of him, "nothing matters."

Link went upstairs and locked Aryl's door. He went to his room, which was connected to hers through the bathroom. He knocked on the bathroom door five times in a special beat. She opened the door for him and he walked into her room.

"Link, he's mad and there's nothing we can do about it."

Link looked around the room, his eyes fell onto a picture he never saw before; he went and took it off the wall. "Where'd you get this?"

"I found it in a box on the floor of my closet last week."

Link looked at the person in the picture.

"She's really pretty, I think of the princess in the stories you told me whenever I see her. You know the one who was attacked by the evil sorcerer."

Link continued to look at the picture. He sat down on her bed. "Do you know who this really is?"

"No, I look at her and all I can think of is the princess of your stories."

"That's because she is the princess of my stories."

"I don't understand. This girl is real, your stories are not."

"Actually, my stories are more real than you think."

Aryl looked at the picture too. "Tell me the story of how she met the evil sorcerer."

Link looked at the picture again. Just before he was ready to tell the story he heard someone downstairs at the main door. Link rushed to his room and looked out the door. He could see a person at the door looking up the stairs, it was his father.

"I'm going out for a drink!" He had his keys and was on his way out the door, "Don't wait up for me."

Link stood at the top of the stairs and called down, "Don't you think you should call a cab?"

His father stood dead in his tracks and looked at him, "I don't need your advice and I don't need a cab! Go to your room and stay there 'till you rot." Link did as he was told and he could hear his father grumbling below. The door slammed a few minutes later and Link went to the top of the stairs again. He knew that the next day or so was not going to be easy. He walked to Aryl's room and unlocked the door.

"You'll be safe for now, but when you go to bed let me know so I can lock it again."

Aryl nodded and went to the top of the stairs, "I don't like it."

"There's nothing we can do about it."

"Can't we tell someone?"

"No, never again."

"Again?"

"It's nothing."

Aryl was tired of arguing and she went back to her room. "I'll be taking a shower."

Link nodded to her and went downstairs. At 10 o'clock they both went to bed. Aryl's door was locked and Link's door was left open just a crack.

The next morning the school year routine began. Breakfast was cooked and the two got out of the house as soon as possible.

At school the gang all met and talked.

"I still don't see why you can't let your sister be by herself for a few hours," Sheik was determined.

"I don't see why you keep pestering me about it."

"I'm just saying."

"And we're all annoyed about it too," Tetra was tired of being the problem.

"Well, you're a backseat driver and it's really annoying to deal with."

"I'm getting my license soon enough!"

"Not soon enough."

"You know, not all of us have to have our license."

"But most people do."

"I am trying, but do you know how hard it is to do when your driving evaluator is pure evil?"

"I don't know I only had her once, and she was too scared to fail me."

"Well, Dark, not all of us can come across as evil as you are."

"Thank you Tetra, that means a lot to me."

Tetra grunted in frustration, "The insults just slide right off of you."

"Hey," Link was done with the arguing, "gym starts today."

"Yes, now's my chance to show them what I can really do in basketball and football and rugby and"

"Foosball"

"Yeah Foosball, hey!"

The group laughed.

The bell rang and Link made his way to science. "Not the best class to start with, but who's complaining."

"You are," Dark and Sheik walked passed him and took a seat in the back.

"You guys are real pains in the," the bell rang and no one heard the last word.

After class the group of boys made their way to gym, the whole group was there.

"Alright," said coach Impa, "We'll be playing dodge ball because the field was flooded in the rains a couple nights ago so I don't want to hear any complaining from anyone," she looked at Malon and Ruto who were cowering in the back. "Link, Ganondorf, you're captains."

"Why does Link get to be captain?"

"Because you complain too much."

The group laughed.

Link knew that Ganondorf refused to have anyone from his group on his team so he was quite happy about it. The two teams stood on either side of the gym. The whistle blew.

Malon was the first to get tagged out and she went down crying. Coach Impa only picked her up by her collar and pushed her toward the bleachers. Ruto was better at dodge ball and let everyone know it.

"Ha, take that!"

Both teams cheered when Sheik and Dark caught her off guard and got her out. She fell to the ground with a scream. "That's not fair! He cheated."

"Anything you say honey," Impa removed her from play.

Ilia was standing in the back staring up at nothing when Zelda shot the ball like a bullet through the other team. It hit her so hard that she actually threw up.

At that everyone looked at Zelda in shock.

"So I work out, it's not a crime to be hackin' strong and a girl."

Link loved how Zelda was so strong.

After the game Link was declared winner.

"Good game," Link held out his hand to Ganondorf, who walked away. "Same old sour Ganondorf."

"You mean Ganon-dork!" Dark and Sheik came up to Link on either side.

"So did you see that ringer Zelda threw," Dark was obviously impressed, "dang, someone's gotta pick her up before she gets herself a bad boy." Dark and Sheik high-fived.

"Whatever dude, I'm not falling for that."

At lunch everyone was giving Zelda compliments on how strong she was. Even Ilia told her that it was a good hit. "Aw, thank you, I hope you can forgive me for hitting you so hard."

Ilia didn't hear her say that; she was off in her own little world at that point.

The group laughed as she walked away and right into someone else. "Sometimes I wonder," Zelda said with a laugh.

After lunch Link had Hylian Culture. He sat through the class bored out of his mind. Zelda, Sheik, and Midna all had the class too.

After class they all talked again about what they were going to do the next day.

"I'll be singing 'the Call' by Regina Spektor for my audition," said Midna triumphantly.

"I guess I'll sing 'Hero' by Superchick for mine," Tetra said.

"Ooh, good songs," said Zelda.

The two girls looked at her.

"What?"

"What song are you going to sing?"

"Oh, um, I was thinking of singing," she stopped, "a song."

"Well that would be a wonderful idea," Dark came up from behind Midna, "I would have never thought of that."

Midna elbowed him in the stomach.

"Okay so I don't know what to sing."

"That's okay, that's why we're meeting tomorrow, to figure out what to sing and to practice," Tetra said with a smile.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow," Link smiled as he saw Aryl walking down the hall toward them.

"Hey Link."

Zelda and Tetra gave Aryl a hug before she left and Midna picked her up and swung her around for a little bit until she said that she was getting dizzy.

Sheik gently punched her face, "Don't you let your brother have a quiet ride home. I'll know if you do, he tells me everything."

Aryl smiled big at him.

"Don't be a bad influence on her."

Dark put one hand on her head and pushed her down a little, "Us, be a bad influence on this little thing? The very thought," he acted offended, "I would never be a bad influence on her," he knelt down and whispered loud enough so Link could hear, "wanna buy a cigar?"

"Okay, you've poisoned her mind well enough," he said pulling her away.

Aryl pulled out of Link's hand and walked behind him, "See ya!"

Link turned and waved, "See ya, you jerks," he smiled.

They got home at three o'clock sharp. They looked at the table and saw the plate of eggs and bacon still there. Aryl and Link looked at each other in fear. They ran to their father's bedroom and looked in; it was just like it was the night before. They looked at each other and ran to the back yard. Nothing. They looked for their father's keys, gone. Link was ready to call the police. Aryl went to her room and looked around just in case. Nothing had changed. She checked Link's room, nothing wrong. She ran downstairs as Link was hanging up the phone with the police.

"They don't have him and they will look for him."

"Link, I can't go through this again. Not after what happened last time." As Aryl began to cry Link picked her up, she was still small enough to do that with, or at least he was strong enough. He took her to the couch and set her down.

"Don't worry; the police will be here to see if they can find anything."

Aryl looked up at Link who was pacing now.

"You don't want this to happen again either."

"No."

Aryl pulled her shorts up a little to look.

"Don't think about it," Link grabbed her hand and pulled it away from her thigh gently.

Aryl saw it though, it was ugly and it was upsetting. "I can't help it, I think about it and there it is; it hurts sometimes to not look."

Link grabbed his shoulder, "I know how you feel; it hurts me not to look too."

The police came to the door and the two told them as much as they could about the night before.

"Call us if he shows up. We'll let you know if we find him."

Link and Aryl looked at each other quietly. They wouldn't be able to call right away.

The two sat up and waited in the living room until 11 o'clock. Then they went to Link's room to go to sleep. Link let Aryl sleep in his bed that night. He sat in a chair facing out the door which had a perfect view of the front door. He sat and listened. He waited and waited. The next thing he knew, it was morning. He fell asleep in the chair. He went downstairs and checked the bedroom for his father, nothing, he checked the living room, nothing, kitchen, same, and so on. He knew that he had to go about life as if nothing was happening. He woke Aryl and the two prepared for school.

The day went by very slowly for the both of them. Link was very silent all through the day; everyone in the group was worried. Aryl too was very silent; she refused to sing with her friends and hardly ate.

At the end of the day the group confronted Link.

"What's going on," Zelda grabbed his hand before he could leave.

"Yeah man," Sheik blocked one exit while Dark blocked the other, "Talk to us."

Midna and Tetra both walked up behind Zelda and looked at him. "We want to know what happened."

"I can't tell you okay."

Aryl walked up to them and pushed her way through. "Link, we have to go."

Link took her hand and looked sadly at her. He then looked at his friends, "I don't know what to do."

Aryl could tell what was happening. "It's not a good time. We have to get home or else dad will be mad."

Link looked at Aryl who only looked back at him. "She means that we have something going on with our dad that we can't miss, I've been thinking about it all day and am," he wanted to use the right word to get them off his back, "excited."

They all looked at him. Zelda was worried that it was something more than that. Sheik and Dark both knew something was about to go down. Link had to keep them out of it.

"Look guys, everything's fine, I'll see you tomorrow." He had to keep them away from the situation, "I'll call you tomorrow morning Sheik, I promise.

"If you don't I'm coming over."

Aryl held tighter to Link's hand. "Link we'll be too late."

Link and Aryl ran to the car as fast as they could.

Back at home they found that nothing had changed. No messages on the machine. Link called the police station and they said that nothing has come up.

Aryl sat on the couch rubbing her thigh. Link found himself rubbing his shoulder.

"Stop it," he said to both himself and Aryl.

"We can't stay here."

"We can't go anywhere."

"Why not?"

"If we run, he will case after us and we'll get hurt."

"If we stay we'll get hurt even more."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do," Aryl stood up.

"No, Aryl, if we stay, there's a chance he may not be mad and we won't get in trouble. If we go, he will be mad that we're gone and then," he looked out the window, "it'll happen again."

Aryl knew what he was talking about and she rubbed her back. She didn't want that happening either.

"At least this way I'll be able to protect you."

Aryl looked up at her brother, "And I'll protect you," she put her hand on his shoulder.

Link held her hand, "thank you."

The night was far from over for them.

Zelda, Tetra, Midna, Sheik, and Dark all were worried. They knew that Link was never like this before; at least not before high school. They had to find out what was going on.

"Do you know where he went for middle school?"

Dark looked down trying to think, "It was like by some lake or something like that."

"The little school by Lake Hylia?"

"Yeah," he looked at the others, "his teacher was like some old hag, Anu? Anku, Anju! Her name was Anju and she was really weird and asking questions all the time."

Tetra and Midna were in the car already, "C'mon guys, let's go!" The others got in the car and made their way to the little school. They made it there and asked for Anju.

"She's in the last classroom on the left."

The group made their way to the room. There, they found a woman looking out the window.

"She looks like she has the Ilia disease," Sheik whispered to Zelda. She looked coldly at him and walked up to her.

"Excuse me, Miss Anju?"

"It's Mrs. Anju and I don't mean to be rude, but I am praying for a very important person right now."

Zelda stepped back and listened.

"Farore, Din, Naryu, please, help that poor boy and his sister on this night, it has been five gruesome years for them. Please, let no harm come to them, please."

Zelda looked back at the others. She was worried again.

"Now, she said turning and wiping a tear from her eye, how may I help you?"

Zelda took a step closer, "I was wondering what you could tall us about some student's of yours, from the past."

"What year?"

Zelda was worried for a good reason. "Five years ago."

"Name," she walked over to her desk and grabbed a tissue.

"Link and his little sister Aryl. We're worried and he won't tell us anything, this is the first time he's ever acted like this and we think it's happened to him before. So we came to you." Zelda took a step back as Mrs. Anju jumped up.

"What was he acting like?"

Sheik stepped in at this point, "He was really quiet and tried to keep us away."

"Oh dear goddesses, quickly, where does he live?"

The group all looked at each other, "We don't know actually," Tetra spoke, "We never really went to his house; he always had something going on there."

"He moved after Aryl graduated my class and no one told me where they live." She was becoming hysterical.

Midna walked up to her and put her hand on her shoulder. "Is there anything you can do?"  
Tears were filling her eyes quickly, "No, all we can do is pray that nothing is wrong."

Zelda held Tetra's hand and they all felt guilty for not doing something sooner. Dark held Midna as she cried and Sheik held Zelda and Tetra. They all made their way out to the car not knowing if they would ever see their friends again.

The next morning Sheik sat by the phone. Nothing happened.

Neither showed up for school that morning. The group feared the worse. They all were out by the main doors at lunch when a car pulled up to the main entrance, it was a police car. Their hearts jumped when they saw Link get out of the car. Aryl was nowhere to be seen. He walked up the stairs to the main door. He was bruised and bandaged. His right arm was in a sling and his knee had a brace around it.

His eyes were filled with tears as he reached his friends. Zelda cried and put her arms around him gently; she kissed his head and wiped his tears away. He couldn't stand it anymore. He fell to the ground sobbing. The group came around him.

"Where's Aryl," Dark said at last.

"Surgery, she might not," he stopped as Dark broke into tears.

"What happened to her?"

"My father," he said with a scowl.

Tetra put her hands on her mouth, "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, it's not your fault. I have to get my papers and get back to the hospital."

A policeman climbed out of the car and up the stairs, "Link," he said sadly, "The doctor called, they said that their loosing her." The group all got in the car and raced to the hospital.

Once there, Link was put in a wheelchair and raced to the waiting room with the others. Just as they came in the doctor came out and allowed Link to go see. The five all stood in fear crying.

"How could we have let this happen," Dark was still crying.

"I don't know, but I won't stop until that man is dead for what he did," Midna said in hate.

"We weren't fast enough to save either of them," Tetra sat down and cried again.

Sheik and Zelda held hands as they waited silently for the doctor to come back out. As they waited the all said prayers to the goddesses that she was still alright, but they feared their prayers were in vain.

The doors opened and Link was wheeled through. He was crying hard. Zelda knelt beside him and he put an arm around her and sobbed.

"She made it."

Zelda sobbed out of joy, "Oh thank the goddesses," she said out loud at last.

When the others heard they all hugged him.

They went to her room and watched her sleep.

"She never felt a thing," Link said wheeling the chair around to her. "My dad came home late last night," he explained, "He swung the door open and screamed at us. We were sitting in my room waiting for him."

~THAT NIGHT~

"You little brats! Get down here," he cried from the door.

Link had seen him come in and he woke Aryl, who almost screamed. The two of them made their way to Aryl's room and waited for their father to come up the stairs. He did and he broke Link's door down even though it was open. He then tore his room apart trying to find them. The two took the chance to hide until their father was done. They went downstairs quietly and hid in the kitchen. They heard the sounds of things breaking and being thrown. A chair was thrown down the stairs. Then, he was finished with the upstairs. He threw himself down the stairs and landed with a loud crash, causing the whole house to echo with fear. The two were under the table.

Their father walked into the kitchen and up to the table, they were trapped. Link had not expected him to come into the kitchen. Their father picked up the old plate of breakfast and threw it against the wall.

"What is this crap? Come out and get your just deserts you piles of filth!"

Link pulled Aryl closer and she held onto his shirt. The chairs were thrown away from the table and against the walls. The refrigerator was knocked over and almost into the table, revealing their hiding place. They could hear the drawers being pulled out and thrown on the floor. They saw everything hit the floor. It was only a matter of time before the table would be thrown. That moment came and the table was thrown against the corner of the entrance to the kitchen.

"There you are."

Link stood and blocked Aryl from any blows. He grabbed Link by the arm and slammed him up against the wall. "You think that just because you're her big brother you should protect her? Remember what happened last time? You were gone and I got her good."

Link struggled out of his grip and grabbed Aryl and started running for the door. "He found us, we were here, now we can go," he thought. But that was far from the truth. He felt pain in his head as his father pulled on his hair. "LET GO!" Link cried.

"You just won't stop will you?" Link was pulled to the ground and Aryl was pulled from his grip.

"Link!"

"Aryl!"

Link stood up and tried to loosen the grip he had on her. He was punched in the face. He fell back a few steps and saw him smack Aryl across the face twice. "You and your stupid mother were always getting in the way. I should have gotten rid of you when I got rid of her."

Link ran and started fighting back for his sister's life. He threw her against a wall, on the wall was a shelf, that hit the back of her head and she was knocked out. Link ran to her but was stopped by being kicked in the side. He hit the ground hard and looked up at his father. He was kicked repeatedly. He bled out on the floor and all over his father's feet.

"Will you just look at the mess you made? Your poor sister will have to clean this all up now. Aryl, get off your but and clean up the mess your brother made."

The body remained motionless. Link's eyes grew wide as he saw his father take the girl's limp body and throw it against the banister. He threw her so hard against it that it broke. He took one of the bars of wood that fell off and began to beat the lifeless body with it. Link thought for sure that she was dead. The bar was covered with blood by the time he was done. Then he turned to Link once again. The time it took for him to get over to him seemed to be ages. The pain was growing worse and worse with every step. He picked Link up by the right arm again and threw him over his back and onto the tea table. It shattered beneath his body. The shards cut him everywhere.

"Just like before," his father said with a smile, "nothing you can do to stop it."

Link rolled off the glass and got on his knees, he looked over at the lifeless body by the stairs. He looked up at his father, "Why?"

"Because you show me no respect," he kicked Link in the face. He then threw Link into the front door. The door was broken and so was Link. He cried out in pain and the neighbors started turning on lights to see what was going on.

"Hey," their next door neighbor called from a window, "knock it off."

"Oh dear Goddesses Henry Look," another voice screamed.

Link could only roll over and see his father jump in the car and drive off. The neighbors all came running to him to get help. The ambulance raced him to the hospital. He had no idea about Aryl. Not until the next morning did he hear that she was in surgery and barely holding on.

No one said anything after the story was done.

"So he's still out there?"

Link nodded at Sheik.

Zelda ran her fingers through Aryl's hair, "she couldn't rise above it," she said with a sigh.

A few freshmen came in with their instruments in their hands. Link and the others watched and listened as they played a song to her in her sleep.

"Any lyrics," asked Link when they were done.

"Yeah," said Fado as he put his violin away.

"Aryl wrote them," said a little boy with a guitar.

"They're beautiful lyrics, but none of us can sing them," Medli held up a piece of paper.

Zelda looked at the lyrics and smiled, "I can sing them."

"Can you, we really want to hear it with all the instruments."

Zelda nodded and they all began.

She walks to school with the lunch she packed,

Nobody knows what she's holding back,

Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday,

She hides the bruises with the linen and lace,

The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask,

It's hard to see the pain behind the mask,

Bearing the burden of a secret storm,

Sometimes she wishes she was never born,

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone,

In a world that she can't rise above,

But her dreams give her wings

And she flies to a place where she's loved,

Concrete angel.

Somebody cries in the middle of the night

The neighbors hear but they turn out the light

A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate

When morning comes it'll be too late

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone,

In a world that she can't rise above,

But her dreams give her wings

And she flies to a place where she's loved,

Concrete angel.

A statue stands in a shaded place

An angel girl with an upturned face

A name is written on a polished rock

A broken heart that the world forgot

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone,

In a world that she can't rise above,

But her dreams give her wings

And she flies to a place where she's loved,

Concrete angel.

When she finished singing a voice was heard from the bed next to them, "That's my song."

Everyone turned and looked at her, she smiled weakly and Link held her hand.

Zelda walked behind Link and put her hand on his shoulder gently. Tetra and Sheik sat next to the bed with Midna and Dark. They all smiled back at her trying to hold back their tears. Link didn't, he openly cried. Aryl held tighter to his hand, "Don't worry about me, I don't remember anything, you had to watch and feel it. And I'm sorry you had to."

Link put his hand on her face and wiped a tear way, "I know."

"What about dad?"

Dark was mad about it and he stood and looked out the window.

"The police are out looking for him now."

"Where will we stay?"

"I don't know," Link looked down.

No one in the room thought about that. Once their out of the hospital they have nowhere to go.

"There's plenty of room at my house, you can stay with me," Zelda said at last, Link looked up at her, "Look, there are at least five extra bedrooms and no one would dare come in there to hurt you or your sister knowing how many policemen are around that house."

Everyone knew that their homes weren't as big or protected as hers so they didn't argue.

"I'll go with some people to go get your stuff out of your old home, and I'll call the police and let them know that we're going to do that," she said before Link could tell her of the danger.

"None of our parents know we're here," Midna said suddenly.

Everyone looked at each other in shock. "Oh no, not even our teachers know, we left at lunch," said Sheik.

Dark came back from the window, "My parents are going to ground me, they wouldn't care if I was at church, I'm grounded."

"I've never skipped class before, net even been late, I come to school sick, I'd never miss for anything," Tetra was going into hysterics.

Zelda wasn't worried at all, "I called my parents before we got to the hospital; my mom called all your parents and teachers and let them know."

"You are a true friend and a life savior," said Tetra hugging her.

It was almost 9 o'clock when they all got out of the hospital.

Link went out with them to get some fresh air. They had to call a cab because they rode with Link and the police officer.

As they all got into the cab Link grabbed Zelda's hand. She knelt down beside him.

He kissed her on the cheek and whispered, "Thank you for everything."

Zelda backed away and blushed, "You're welcome Link," she got in the cab, "I'll see you later."

Everyone knew what happened and they said nothing about it; grinning the entire way home.

The next day everyone met in front of Link's locker.

"I miss him," said Tetra.

"I miss them both," said Midna.

"Who am I supposed to have fun with after school," said Dark looking away from everyone.

"Well, we'll just have to keep going on with life like nothing happened. Just like Link said," said Sheik.

Zelda stood there quietly. "I spoke with the choir director. She told me we had our auditioning time changed to today for some reason."

"That's great," said Midna trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, I still would like to try out," Tetra said with a grin.

"I would too," said Zelda, "except I don't have a song."

"Don't be silly," said Sheik putting his arm around her shoulder, "you have that song by Aryl."

"That's not my song to sing," she said pulling away from him.

"Didn't Aryl's friends say that if you wanted to sing it for anything you could?"

"Yeah, and Aryl agreed!"

Zelda looked at Link's locker, "I don't feel like singing that song."

"But you sang it so wonderfully," said Tetra, "You'd get in for sure."

"I said 'no.'"

She walked away.

Everyone looked at each other. "We have to get her to sing that song at auditions today," said Dark, returning from his pout.

Tetra and Midna followed Zelda into the girl's bathroom.

"You know, I was thinking," said Midna, "I think I want to wear my hair up," she put her hair above her head and held it up with one hand.

"I think I'll put mine down," she took the ponytail out and let her hair fall past her shoulders.

They both grabbed Zelda and looked at her, "I think that we will put your hair like this," said Midna.

"Stop I guys," Zelda tried to get away but Tetra's grip was like a python's.

"Ooh," said Tetra excitedly, "a little lower on the, yes, like that!"

Zelda could feel her hair being pulled every direction. She was unsure if what they were doing was for fun or if they were actually making it look good.

After a while they stepped back and looked at her.

"Beautiful," said Tetra.

"Show stopper," said Midna with a wink.

Zelda turned and looked in the mirror. She saw her hair was pulled back. Part of it was braided and wrapped around a larger part of her hair. The ponytail that resulted was slightly curled. The hairs on the forehead that she could never find anything to do with were pulled back with a pretty clip.

"I love it," Zelda said with a smile.

"You'll look great at the audition," said Tetra with a hopeful smile.

Zelda looked down at the ground. "I told you I won't sing that song."

Midna looked at Tetra, "Then we'll just have to find you a new song."

Zelda looked at them, "Alright, a new song."

The two had lost the battle, but they won the war.

The guys were still in front of the lockers when the girls came out.

"You guys all look beautiful," said Sheik with a smile.

"Thank you," said Midna.

"You comin' onto my girl," said Dark.

"No, I'm just admiring her," he said slyly.

Zelda walked up behind them and smiled.

"Wow," both guys said.

"Link is one lucky guy, don't ya think?" Tetra smiled at the others.

"Yeah, I'm only sorry that I didn't love you first," said Sheik.

"She's like a Zelda version of Midna," said Dark putting his arm around Midna's waist.

"Nicely put genius. But he's right, kinda, you are very beautiful," said Midna.

Zelda blushed, "I do not…"

Tetra put her hand around Zelda's shoulders, "Don't even try it sister, we all know you like him."

"Just look at her blush," said Sheik.

"Stop it guys," Zelda was getting frustrated.

Tetra put her hand out to the others, "I'm sorry but it's true. You're in love with him and we know it. We shouldn't be so blunt with you but we are."

Zelda crossed her arms and stared at them. "Well if you guys are such great detectives then you tell me if-"

"He likes you too," said Sheik bluntly.

Zelda took a step back.

"Do you know how lucky we are?" Dark walked over to Zelda and showed her his cell phone.

"What's that for?"

"I caught Link when he was outside and told him about your little refusal to sing that special little song. He told me to tell you to sing it for him and his sister. He then called me back and told me to tell you that Aryl wants to have it recorded so she can see people's reaction to her song."

Zelda looked down again, "You guys trapped me now."

"It's not right to take advantage of someone's feelings, Dark," Midna smacked him on the head.

"Well she needs to sing that song for Aryl and I didn't want to see her pass up the chance to make that little girl happy," Dark snapped.

Zelda was done with all the pushing and hints and blatant demands for her to sing the song, "I'll do it."

Everyone stopped and looked at her with joy.

"I'll sing the song."

"Yay," Tetra hugged her quickly and grabbed her school books. The bell had rung a minute ago and she was not going to miss class again.

"Good," Midna put her arm around Zelda's shoulder and handed her a note, "I have the time when you will be meeting the freshmen to practice."

"She knew I'd go with it all along."

"Yep and there's nothing you can do about it now," Dark patted her on the back.

"Thank you," Sheik picked up her books and walked her to class.

"He's such a gentleman, how can he possibly want to be a bad boy," Zelda thought to herself.

At the end of the day the group got together and went to the auditorium for auditions. A camera was right in front of the stage.

"What's this?" Tetra poked it.

"That's a camera, it films what people are doing in front of the camera," Sheik pointed at the lens.

Tetra played along, "Oh, so if I stand right here," she stood in front of it, "it will throw film at me?"

Zelda and Midna laughed.

Sheik rolled his eyes and sat down, "Dark put it there so he could record your auditions and show them to Link and Aryl.

"So don't mess up," said Dark as he walked down the aisle toward them.

"No pressure," said Zelda as she got up on stage.

Two minutes before they sang the first ten rows were filled with students who either were auditioning today or wanted to see the auditions. There were more wanting to see the auditions than those auditioning.

"Still," said Zelda with a deep breath, "no pressure."

Midna got up on stage.

"I'm Midna and I will be singing Regina Spektor's 'the Call.'"

As she sang, the whole auditorium was silenced. Her voice echoed around the whole room in a melodious tone. She hit every high note and stayed on beat wonderfully. She even got really into it at the orchestrated part. She almost seemed to be in the music itself. Every note she sang was clear and calm. In short, she was amazing.

Tetra gave Midna a hug as she walked off stage, the whole auditorium seemed to roar in praise.

Then, Tetra got on stage.

"My name is Tetra, and I will be singing 'Hero' by superchick."

"Rock it Tetra," a voice from the crowd.

The music played softly and she began. She was in the music right from the start. She almost seemed to be talking to them in music. She was powerful in her song. She was not going to stop until the message of her song was out. She almost broke into tears as she sang. She took a deep breath for a rapping part. It was an amazing example of how strong her voice really is. As she finished every chair in the auditorium was silenced. Tetra was sure it was terrible until a sudden burst of joy and acceptance came from a chair in the back. The whole auditorium erupted with cheer.

Zelda took a deep breath and walked on stage. The freshmen walked on stage behind her.

My name is Zelda; I will be singing 'Concrete Angel' by Aryl.

She took another deep breath as the music started.

She didn't sing it for the people in the auditorium. She sang it for Link and Aryl. She did not see the auditorium, but the hospital room as Link and Aryl sat smiling at her. She saw Aryl stand and begin to dance to the music. She saw Link stand and dance with her. She saw him take her own hand and dance with her. Aryl was singing with her, she harmonized with her voice. She could hear it, she knew it was there, Aryl was singing with her at that moment. They both were there, Link was playing an ocarina and Aryl was singing with her. They were there and having fun singing the song with her. She then thought of the pain that they felt and sang louder, to them, she wanted them to know that she loved them both and was there for them. She didn't realize where she was until the song was over. She opened her eyes and saw the whole auditorium cheering for her. She smiled and got off stage.

Afterward they made their way to the hospital. They played the video for Link and Aryl. Zelda watched her performance. She wasn't there. She was obviously singing this to someone else. She never looked at the audience.

After the videos were shown the girls talked to Aryl about their performances and the guys talked about how great they looked. Link and Zelda both walked away from the conversations.

"You were amazing."

"Thank you."

"Did you sing it for Aryl?"

"No," Link looked up a little shocked, "I sang it for Aryl and you."

Link smiled.

Zelda knelt Link and kissed him on the cheek, he kissed her cheek at the same time.

They both blushed a little.

Dark and Sheik came up and were about to tease him but couldn't because a nurse came in.

"We're going to give Miss Aryl an x-ray to see how well her healing on her neck and head has progressed."

"Alright," Link wheeled his chair beside her, "You be brave Aryl. I'll be here if you need me."

"I'll be okay."

The nurses wheeled her out of the room. The group all stood in worry.

"How 'bout your dad," said Sheik.

"He hasn't been found yet."

"How 'bout the house?"

"We'll figure something out; he destroyed the house that night. But I'll be out of the hospital this weekend."

"We'll help," Dark gave Link a thumbs up.

"There's no way you will do this on your own," Tetra put her arm on Dark's shoulder.

"I'm glad I can count on you guys."

"I'll let my parents know," Zelda left the room to call her parents.

"So, you'll be out this weekend," Midna smiled.

"Yeah," he looked at Aryl's bed, "but if she can't be out by then, I'll stay here."

"Oh yeah, totally," Sheik agreed.

It was an hour and a half before the doctor came in.

"She's healed very quickly; she should be home the day after tomorrow."

"That's awesome," Dark said.

"I'm so glad," Midna was sitting on his lap.

"She's a tough little girl," said Tetra.

"She got that from her brother," Sheik teased.

Zelda gave Link a hug.

"But what about Link?"

Everyone stopped and looked at Zelda who was standing behind him.

"He can't walk," she continued, "and we need him in order to get his things out of the house."

"Well," said the doctor, "I guess that means we have to check and see if he will be able to walk. At least with crutches."

He was wheeled out of the room. Link turned and waved to everyone, "Wish me luck."

An hour later he was back. "He will be able to walk on crutches tomorrow."

Everyone was happy.

"Alright," said Sheik getting up from his chair, "we meet at Link's house at 12:30 to start packing things up."

Everyone agreed on that idea. "I'll come pick you up Link," said Zelda.

"I'm all for it," Link said with a grin.

The doctor came back in, "Link, do you have somewhere to live after you both get released on Sunday?"  
"Yes," Link said looking at Zelda.

"You are going to have to have the adults sign the release forms."

"Alright."

Zelda walked up to the doctor, "I'm the daughter of the people he's staying with; I'll see to it that they are signed."

The doctor handed them to her.

"Well, we better go now," said Sheik with a grin.

"See you tomorrow," said Dark with Midna on his arm.

"Wait for me Sheik, you're driving me home," called Tetra.

"You're driving me crazy Tetra."

Zelda laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow too," she gave Link another kiss, but as she aimed for his cheek he turned and kissed her on the lips. She was surprised but didn't pull away. She did after a few seconds, smiled and walked away. She was jumping for joy inside.

Link was ecstatic, "Did you see that Aryl? I kissed her on the lips and she didn't pull away, we kissed for what? Ten seconds? Ah," he threw his head back, "my life is now complete."

"You're a horny toad," said Aryl bluntly.

"It doesn't matter now because I kissed her," he began going in circles in the little room, "and I get to live with her."

"_We_ get to live with her."

"That's what I said."

"Go to bed Link," Aryl said with a smile, "you're gonna have a big day of _kissing_ tomorrow."

"You're right," he said, "but how am I supposed to sleep now?"

He got into the bed and lay down. He was not going to sleep at all.

Zelda had the same problem. She got home and ran to her room. She danced uncontrollably until 2 in the morning. Then she went to bed and thought about the kiss all night.

The next morning everyone was excited about their day at Link's house. Zelda spent the day getting rooms and the car ready for their new house guests.

When 11:30 rolled around, Zelda was all too ready. She took the hot rod and told some worker that the truck would be taken to the house. She was going to pick up Link.

She was very excited about picking up Link after what happened the night before. When she got there Link was waiting outside.

She drove up to him and he opened the door and got in. He put his crutches in the back seat. Her car was able to sit six, three in front, three in back. Link sat down next to her and smiled. Zelda put the car in drive and set off to his house. It was surprisingly far away. Link told her that he had to be far away from the house in order to keep his dad away from Aryl.

Zelda tried no to think about it. It was 12:20 when they got there. Zelda got out of the car and refused to look at the yard. She walked around to the other side of the car and opened the door for Link. He leaned against the door of the car as she pulled out his crutches. She helped get him set up and they made their way to the house. Zelda stood in shock at what she saw.

In the yard about four feet away from the porch was a pool of dried blood. She remembered that Link was thrown out of the house and onto the yard. The amount of blood there was amazing. She saw the broken door on the porch. Chills went up her spine. Link only looked up at the windows; they were cracked from the things in his and Aryl's rooms that were thrown in his father's rage. He jumped when he heard Dark's car come up the drive.

Midna got out of the car and looked around, "I'm surprised we could find this place."

She stopped and looked at the grass and porch. Dark too, was shocked at the amount of destruction done. No one wanted to go in until they were all there.

Sheik and Tetra were last. The truck was ready to be loaded up with their clothes and belongings. Tetra held Zelda's hand as they made their way into the house, or at least what was left of it.

The first thing everyone saw was the blood on the bottom of the stairs. This was where Aryl lied as her father beat her with the rod of the banister. They all looked in shock at how the banister was broken only where a very large object was thrown into it. Everyone knew that it was Aryl herself who was thrown into the banister. The walls and furniture were covered in blood spatter. Tetra walked into the kitchen and saw the broken plate of old food thrown against the wall. She saw the refrigerator on the floor and the chairs thrown all over the place. She saw the table in pieces in the doorway. She walked over to where the table used to stand and looked against the wall. There was a dent in the wall. It wasn't a hole, but a dent. "Link," she said softly. She looked away.

Midna and Dark looked around the living room and saw the destruction done by Link's father; the holes in the walls from the furniture being thrown and the dents from bodies being thrown. Sheik's eyes began to water at the sight of the devastation done by one man. They made their way back to the staircase and began to make their way up. Dark and Sheik helped Link up first. Link kept his eyes on the door of his room; he didn't want to look at the blood on the floor of the living room. The girls came up after them to go to Aryl's room. Zelda tripped over a rod and picked it up to throw it down the stairs. She screamed when she looked at it. Everyone looked at her and then at the rod in her hand. It was covered in blood. It was so covered and hadn't moved in so long that it was still dripping with Aryl's blood. She dropped it and it fell down the stairs leaving blood everywhere it hit. Zelda began to tear up when the other girls came up to her and out their hands on her shoulders. They helped her to Aryl's room and she washed the blood off her hands in the bathroom.

After one and a half hours of searching for clothes and packing them into the truck, the group started their search for any belongings that Link and Aryl wanted to keep.

Sheik walked into Aryl's room.

Link followed and stood in the doorway.

"Over here?"

"No, Sheik, it's over by the closet."

The girls were all confused.

Sheik walked over by the closet and started feeling the wall.

"I don't think it likes you in that way, Sheik," Midna teased.

"Found it," Sheik called back to Link.

"Peel the cover away."

Sheik pulled the wall off easily revealing a container of some sort in the wall. He pulled out a pocket knife and worked the container out of the wall.

"What is it," Tetra asked.

Sheik took it over to Link who opened it carefully and looked inside. The girls all made their way over to him. Inside they found things like pictures and other precious things.

"Before my dad got home, we both put everything that we really cared about in boxes and I hid them in the wall," he looked up at them, "I had made these in middle school and I kept them in the walls in case something like this happened."

"You knew what to do," Dark said holding another box. Midna figured that it was Link's.

"Well, that's it," Link said turning away from Aryl's room. But he stopped and looked at something. "Zelda," he pointed to something on the other side of the room, "what is that?"

Zelda made her way over to the other side of the room and picked up the object that caught his eye. "It's a little book."

"What's the title?"  
"The princess, the evil sorcerer, and her children"

Link was surprised at the title. He never knew that Aryl knew who the stories were actually about.

"Do you want to bring it along?"

He wasn't paying attention.

"Link, do you want to bring it along?"

He still stared into space.

"Link!" Dark almost smacked him on the head but remembered his injuries.

Sheik also was getting frustrated with his absent minded-ness.

Tetra walked in front of him and squeezed his nose.

He was soon out of breath and swiped her hand away.

"What was that for," Link glared at her.

"You refuse to answer Zelda."

"What?"

"She's trying to ask you if you will take the book with you," Midna said calmly.

"Oh," Link regained his composure as best he could, "Yeah, go ahead and bring it along."

Zelda walked back out of the room and put it in Aryl's box.

The group made their way down the stairs and to the front door. They were just about to get to the truck when they heard yelling from behind the house. Link jumped when he heard the noise. A man came running from behind the house being chased by police officers. Link jumped into the truck but dropped his crutches on the way and fell down. Sheik and Dark wanted to laugh at him but were too surprised at the man who was running toward them. Zelda and the other girls stood wide eyed at the man who began yelling at them.

"Get out of my way," he waved his arms wildly, "this is my house and I will not have you taking my stuff away from me."

Sheik grabbed Tetra and Zelda and ran for it. Dark picked Midna up and ran. Zelda got out of Sheik's grip and ran back to the truck.

"What are you doing," Sheik screamed back to her.

"We forgot something," Zelda hinted.

The man was at the truck the same time she was. She looked into the truck to see no one there. She turned to see the man get into her car and speed away. She was taken aback at this but was more worried about Link than that right now. She looked around the other side of the truck to see Link lying on the ground because he couldn't walk. He had dropped his crutches. She grabbed his crutches and helped him stand up.

"Are you alright," Zelda asked worried.

"Fine," he said grunting from the pain, "how about you?"

"I'm fine."

"Let's get out of here as soon as possible," Sheik was back with Tetra shaking under his arm.

"Scared much," Midna laughed at Tetra.

"I do believe that you didn't have to run with the fastest guy in school, but was carried," Tetra retorted.

"Good excuse," Midna admitted.

Zelda and Link walked over to the others. Zelda was frazzled and Link was focused on what just happened.

"Was that your dad," Dark asked.

"Yeah," Link looked after the tire marks. The police sent word to dispatch about the car.

"At least we know what car he's in," Tetra said hopefully.

"For now," Sheik said.

Zelda looked out to the road the man took. "He isn't going to stop until he gets something done," she felt the breeze coming from behind her.

She put Link in the truck and sat next to him. The truck driver got in on the other side of Link. Zelda made Link slouch a little so no one could see him easily. The truck was unmarked. She held Link's hand unconsciously. Link was too worried about Aryl to notice. When they got to the hospital Zelda got out and helped him out. They made their way into the hospital conspicuously. When they made it to the hospital room they saw a nurse helping Aryl sit up in the bed.

"Are you okay," Link was really worried.

"Yes, I'm fine," Aryl was confused.

"Good," Link limped over to a chair and sat down exhausted.

Zelda entered the room out of breath, "For someone on crutches, he is really fast;" she collapsed into a chair and smiled to Aryl, "How's it going?"  
"Going good," Aryl sat up on her own as the nurse took down some notes, "so what happened?"  
"Nothing, what makes you think that anything happened," Link was uneasy.

"What he means to say is that it went very smoothly."

Link looked at Aryl. Aryl saw right through the mask.

"Did he hurt you?"

Link and Zelda sat up quickly.

"Link is very easy to read," she said matter-of-factly.

"No, but he got away in my car," Zelda confessed.

"I'll be out tomorrow; do you think they'll find him by then?"

Link looked down; Zelda played with her hair.

"I doubt it," Link said at last.

Aryl looked out the window.

"But you'll be safe at my house," Zelda remembered the papers she had her parents sign; a look of shock and horror came across her face. She put her head in her hands and fell to the ground.

"Zelda."

"Zelda, what's wrong?"  
"The papers," she said shakily, "they were in the car," she looked up at them wide eyed. They had the name of the hospital and where you are going. He'll find them and know where you are." She began to shake. "How could I be so stupid?"

Link wanted to go comfort her but his lag brace and crutches hindered him.

"You can't come to my home if he finds those papers," Zelda stood up.

"There has to be something we can do," Link didn't want this to happen.

Aryl started to worry, "Do you think he'd go after her too?"

Link never thought about that, "I don't know."

That night Zelda watched the news for car chases. She flipped through every channel. The 10 o'clock news had a car chase. She watched in anticipation. As she watched her heart began to race as fast as the cars were.

"There's no sign of the car," the man in the helicopter said.

"There it is," an announcer said.

It was a red sports car. It was on the highway going toward the hospital Link and Aryl were at. Zelda's mind was spinning. She screamed when she saw the car flip over the barrier and roll down a hill. As she watched in horror a police officer ran to the car and pulled open the door in hopes of pulling out the convict.

"The suspect is nowhere to be found," Zelda's heart dropped.

"He's still out there," she screamed in confusion.

She didn't sleep a wink that night knowing that the man was still out there threatening Link and Aryl's lives.

The next morning she and her parents went to see the wrecked car. Zelda looked in the glove compartment where she put the papers. She was amazed to see them still there exactly as she had left them. She let out a scream for no good reason. Well, apart from the fact that Link and Aryl were safe. Her father came up to her and asked her what was wrong. "The papers," she said almost dropping to the ground in tears, "They're all still here."

"Good, then we shall continue with our plan to have the two of them stay with us."

When they got home that night and Zelda ran to the rooms near hers. The one next door would by Aryl's and the one across the hall would be Link's.

The next day she and her parents went to the hospital to get Link and Aryl and take them home. Zelda was very excited.

Zelda wore her favorite denim skirt and pink tank top with a white jacket. She put her hair the same way she had it on the day of her audition. She got out of the car first when they reached the hospital. Link was standing by the doors with his crutches and braces to hold him together; Aryl was also holding a crutch but only one. Zelda hugged Aryl gently and helped her into the van. She put the crutch in the back. She then helped Link into the van and did the same with his crutches. She sat next to him.

"You'd like our home," she said with a smile, "it's nice and cozy."

Link thought of some pictures he had seen of the governor's mansion. And that was exactly what it was, a mansion.

When they got there it was just as big if not bigger than what they thought it was. She and Link got out and her parents took Aryl straight to the back to take her to her room. Link looked around, "This'll take some major getting used to."

Zelda turned and smiled, "I'll show you around."

They made their way through the giant house. Link saw a pool, a gym, a huge dining hall, a ball room, a garden, and more rooms than he could count. "Which one's mine," he asked referring to the huge rooms that he had seen.

"We're not there yet," Zelda said slyly.

They walked into a library where she moved a bookcase revealing a door. "Haven't really used this in a while," she explained, "we only would use it when I was little and had to be at daddy's parties, he would send me to the house through this," she waved toward the door.

She opened it with a key that was around her neck on a necklace. They looked into a large tunnel lit by torches. "Special effect," she said indicating the torches.

They walked for a few minutes until they were in front of a door. She opened it with another key again. The door opened revealing a kitchen. It was a smaller kitchen than what they had seen before, but compared to Link's kitchen, it was still very large.

She walked into a large room to the left. "This is our living room." The room was decorated simply, but beautifully. The window was draped with soft colored curtains and light was coming in giving the room a homely feeling. There was a fireplace with logs ready to be burned. The furniture was soft and simply covered. He was amazed by the simplicity of this part of the house. Zelda walked over to a large hallway with about six bedrooms or more. "They're more like mini houses without the kitchen and living room, but they are comfortable just the same." Link looked down the hallway.

"I guess I should ask where my room is now right."

Zelda walked to one of the rooms on the left side of the hall. "This is my room. Aryl's room is at the end of the hall, the next door on the left. Your room is across from mine right here," she walked over to a door on the very opposite side of the hall, "you wanna see it?"

Link nodded.

Zelda turned the doorknob and gently pushed the door open. The inside of the room was bright. Light was pouring in from the windows on the other side of the room. The bed was large and well dressed. He had a wardrobe with all his clothes in it plus some fancy dress clothes. He had his own bathroom with a shower and a tub. He had a sitting area to read with a desk to do homework. He even had his own fireplace. He turned and looked at Zelda who was sitting on his bed. He went over to her and sat on the bed too. His crutches dropped to the floor and he hugged her as tightly as he could without hurting himself. She embraced him gently. "When I'm healed I will hug you so hard you won't know what hit you."

Zelda buried her head in his shoulder, "Yes," was all she could say.

She didn't move for a few minutes. The clock stroke 6:30 and Zelda pulled away. The two looked at each other for a while. Link was sure of his love for her. Zelda was sure of it too. She inched closer to him. She leaned in for a long-awaited kiss. Link pulled out at the last second. He turned away and looked out the window. Zelda turned away too and looked down at the floor.

"I'm sorry," she stood up and left the room. She went as fast as she could to her room and stayed there until her mother called everyone to super.

At the diner table it was very silent. Zelda ate quietly in her usual place until her father asked Link about his life with Zelda at school. She listened to what he had to say.

"Well," he began uneasily, "we have been going to school together for three years, and I have to say that I'm very glad that I have her as a friend. She listens to me and is able to see what my real problems are, she had a bad feeling the night everything fell apart and she was the first one to help me."

Zelda smiled.

"My boy, you are truly lucky," Zelda's father stood up after diner, "now we shall all sit in the living room and play a game. Aryl and Link were set down on a couch and Zelda sat on the floor with the board game.

"The game for tonight is "Things," she said triumphantly.

"You always pick that game when we have guests," said her mother taking a drink of tea.

"That's because it gives everyone a good look into the mind of your guest," her father nudged his wife gently. She laughed.

Zelda took some pieces of paper out and handed them to the guests. She explained the rules, "basically, you have to write what the card says such as," she took out a card and read it, "things you don't do," she snickered, "naked. Now you write down something you don't do naked and hand it to me. Once I have all the cards I will read them out loud. After which the rest of the group will take turns trying to find out who wrote what."

The cards were handed in and Zelda read them out loud. "Go to school, give a speech, go shopping, go on a hunting trip, and deliver cookies to the neighbors." Everyone laughed.

Aryl started, "um, you said give a speech," she pointed to Zelda's father.

"Too easy I suppose," he admitted.

Link went next, "I know go to school would be Zelda."

"Nope," she grinned, "next up."

Zelda's mother smiled, "I know my daughter well enough to know that she would say go on a hunting trip."

"No, I guess it's my turn now. Link, you did o on a hunting trip."

"Yep."

Aryl looked around, "You said go shopping," she pointed to Zelda's mother.

"I've been found out," she joked.

Zelda's turn, "Aryl, you said go to school."

"hehehe, uh-huh."

"You said deliver cookies to the neighbors," Link was shocked.

"Oh, you would," said Zelda's mother.

The game went on for an hour or so until Aryl yawned.

"She's got the right idea," Zelda's father said with a yawn too.

"We're off to bed," said her mother as she kissed Zelda on the forehead.

"Good night mom."

"Thank you for letting us stay here," said Link.

Aryl went to bed as well as Zelda cleaned up the game. Link watched her clean and admired her cleverness from the game. He wanted to take back what happened before in his room. He was just caught of guard and surprised. He did love her and wanted to be with her forever, but he was 17 and he didn't want to use up all the love too soon.

Zelda looked at him, "What?"

Link looked away suddenly, "I'm sorry."

"No, its okay, you were just-"

"I was just worried that I'd use up all your love and never be able to be with you ever again," he blurted out.

Zelda took a step back, "I don't understand."

Link stood there in the dimly lit room facing the love of his life in the most heated moment he could think of. He had to say something and it had to be the right thing or else he may loose her forever. He couldn't think of the correct thing to say for what seemed like hours. Zelda just stood there waiting.

In reality she was there for only a second or two.

"I, I," he began to stammer. Zelda understood what was going on. She took his hand and led him to his room. She opened the door and led him in, shutting the door behind her. She took Link to the reading area and set him down on a chair. The entire time Link was trying to find the right words to say.

Zelda looked into his eyes, "Three words," she had pulled a chair up in front of him.

Link looked at her.

"Just three," she whispered.

"But."

"It doesn't start with 'but' it starts with 'I.'"

"I, I," he stumbled over his words.

"Link," Zelda looked deeply into his eyes, she knew that she loved him, "I love you."

Link looked up.

"I love you more than anything in this world. I love you more than life itself and I'd die for you."

"Zelda," Link took her hands in his and got an inch away from her face, "I, I love you too."

Zelda's heart skipped a beat.

"I love you more than I loved anyone in my entire life. I love being around you and hearing your voice and seeing you smile and watching you care for others. You are the most amazing person I ever met and I never want to leave you. I never want to hurt you."

Link took a deep breath, and looked into Zelda's eyes again. There was nothing stopping her this time, she kissed him. She kissed him long and she kissed him gently. Link ignored the pain and placed his arms around her and held her close. She was sitting on his lap eventually. Zelda found herself engulfed in Link's loving embrace. She never wanted to leave it. Both her hands were around his neck and he had his arms around her waist. They continued to kiss forever. She finally got off of Link and walked him over to the bed. She put him in the bed and covered him up. She then locked the door and lay next to him. He put an arm around her and she laid her head on his chest. He put his head in her hair and breathed deep. She rubbed his stomach softly. The light of the fire was so soft and gentle that it put them to sleep. The next morning Link woke up and found Zelda still holding him. He didn't want to move but knew that he had to. She woke up to find him trying to move. She sat up and helped him. When he had sat up all the way she got in front of him and kissed him.

"Good morning," she said with a smile. She looked at the clock, "My dad and mom won't be out of their room for a few minuets yet, they'll never know."

Link watched as Zelda unlocked the door quietly and made her way across the hall to her room.

The three got ready for school. They went down the hall to the kitchen where Zelda's mother was getting breakfast on the table; biscuits, sausages, and pancakes, with a side of waffles. The three ate until they were full. Zelda picked up her backpack and Link and Aryl followed. The three got outside, Link opened the door for his sister to get in; Zelda helped Link into his seat. She smiled sweetly at him as he patted the seat next to him. Aryl didn't notice because she was looking out the window at the huge house she just came out of. Zelda got in the car and started it. Her heart skipped a little when Link put his hand on hers as she reached for the gear shift. She looked up at him and he smiled.

It was a car ride in heaven. They got to the school and went to their lockers. Medli and Fado and Aryl's other friends came out to help her.

"We'll keep her safe," said Mira as they helped her up the stairs.

"I'll be okay Link," Aryl was smiling wide at him.

"Okay, call me if you need any help," Link turned and took Zelda's hand and they walked to their lockers. The others weren't there yet. Zelda got her things out of her locker and helped get Link's stuff out of his. After they did so Link backed her against the lockers. She dropped the books and put her arms around his neck. They kissed gently.

"It was only a matter of time until you two hooked up."

The two looked at the boy in blue laughing.

"Sheik," Link gave a high five his friend.

"The one and only."

Zelda gave Sheik a hug, "How have you been?"

"Not as good as you two apparently."

Zelda blushed.

"Get off their backs Sheik, you're just jealous," Midna gave Link a hug, "you feeling any better?"  
"The wounds are healing slowly."

"The sooner the better," Tetra dropped her bag in front of her locker and leaned against it, "you have gone through enough already," she winked.

Everyone got there at once it seemed. At the end of the day the results for the auditions were up.

"Looks like you all made it," Dark said with a smile as he hugged Midna in congratulations.

"That's awesome," Sheik hugged Zelda.

Zelda smiled and jumped when a new hugger grabbed around her waist and put his head on her neck. She recognized him immediately. She turned around and slapped him.

"What was that for," the figure staggered back.

"For being a jerk," Zelda clenched her fists.

"You never hated me doing that before," he took a step toward her.

"You promised me you'd never hurt me and then threw it away," Zelda was not in the mood for someone like him coming and spoiling her life again.

Link walked up to her and put his arm around her shoulders. Zelda placed her arm around his waist.

"Just get out of here," she said in a shaky voice.

"Fine," the figure walked away in a huff.

Zelda walked over to the water fountain and took a drink, she could sense Link wanting answers, "I don't want to talk about it," she grabbed her bag and walked to the main doors, "let's just go home."

Aryl and her friends walked up to the doors.

"Thank you guys for helping me today."

"That's what friends are for," Medli hugged her gently, "heal soon okay?"

Aryl nodded and the three went to the car.

After super that night Zelda had a thought, "What about your father," the family was sitting in the living room getting drinking some tea. Zelda and Link were doing homework.

Link looked up at her, "What about him?"

"He knows where you go to school," Zelda looked down at the math problem she was working on.

"We have police officers watching every door," her father reassured.

Zelda remembered the day they all went to Link's house and his father got through the police and almost found him. Link knew what she was thinking about. To be honest, he was worried too, for Aryl's sake.

They never heard from Link's father. Some say that he just disappeared off the face of the earth; others said that he was waiting for them to put their guard down, Zelda knew that he was waiting for them to feel safe so he could strike again. She was not going to let them go out into the world and get hurt when she could save them.

The weeks and months passed. It was April. Nothing was known of Link's father. Zelda and Link were still going strong. Link was almost completely healed and Aryl was living life as if nothing had ever happened. They were both happy and free. Link would come to Aryl's room at night at talk to her sometimes. Zelda couldn't help but listen through her wall.

"You okay, Aryl?"

"Yes. What's wrong?"

Link sat down next to her on the bed. "It's been ten years."

Aryl sat up and put her book down, "Since when?"

"Since the night mom left."

Zelda took a step back and placed her hand over her mouth. She had never thought that their mother left them.

"But Link, I thought."

"No she did, I just don't like to think of it that way."

Aryl sat in silence.

"She told me to take you to a neighbor's house that night," he took a deep breath.

"I much rather you tell me the nicer story," Aryl leaned over her bed and pulled a box out from underneath. She pulled a book out and handed it to Link.

"The Princess, the Sorcerer and Her Children," he read out loud.

Zelda sat down by her wall and continued to listen.

Link opened the book and cleared his throat. He was tearing up.

He began.

"The Princess was tired that evening but she went out for a walk anyway." He stopped for there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Aryl called.

Zelda opened the door slowly, "May I come in," she asked.

"Sure," Aryl waved her in.

Zelda walked in slowly, "What are you doing," like she didn't already know.

"Link is going to read me the story I wrote," Aryl smiled sweetly.

"May I listen?"

Link looked at Aryl; Aryl smiled and patted next to her, "Yeah, come sit."

Zelda sat next to Link and held his arm. She laid her head on his shoulder and he rubbed it with a free hand.

"Stop making lovey faces and read already," Aryl was impatient.

Link opened the book and started from the beginning again.

~THE STORY~

The Princess was tired that evening but she went out for a walk anyway. She had no idea that with this walk her life would change forever. She walked in Castle Town by the fountain where she saw a man her age sitting with a small package in his hands. He looked up and saw her standing there. He smiled politely and looked back at the package.

"Hello," she said.

"Hello," he responded.

"That's a very pretty box," she said as she sat down next to him.

"Thank you," he looked up, "but it is nothing compared to your beauty."

She blushed. She smiled at him. The two talked for a while and got to know each other better, or so the princess thought.

The two spoke often over the next few weeks. One night he took her by the hands and looked into her eyes.

"I, I," he stumbled over his words, "I love you more than I loved anyone in my entire life. I love being around you and hearing your voice and seeing you smile and watching you care for others. You are the most amazing person I ever met and I never want to leave you. I never want to hurt you," after that he took a deep breath.

He moved in suddenly and kissed her. He had her under his spell.

He cast a terrible curse on her that night. She was never to leave him from that point on.

Link stopped reading and looked away from the girls. Zelda knew what the story was about. She looked down. Aryl also know what really happened that night. Link wiped his eyes and continued reading.

~STORY~

They were married much to the king and queen's disappointment.

Soon, the princess gave birth to a son. Their son was strong and sturdy, but had a tender heart. Two years later they had a daughter, she was beautiful and brave. This little girl was also bold and sometimes did not know her place.

The man was a sorcerer and he liked to show his magic to his family often. Sometimes he would loose control of his magic and would hurt them. One time he burned the little girl on the thigh.

The family began to fear him. He would come home some nights and use his magic on his wife just because he felt like it.

"Please stop," she would cry.

"Not until you know that I have the power to take you all out in an instant."

"Please, we understand, don't hurt them."

"I will have my way with you," he grabbed her with his magic and sent her flying against the wall. She screamed in pain waking up the children. The boy ran to the top of the stairs and looked down. He was shocked to see his mother being beaten by the magic. No one could save her.

One night the sorcerer came home. The princess put the children up in the tower.

"If you hear me yell to you to get out, take the stairs by the window and go to the neighbor's house," she warned.

Later that night the boy and girl listened to the yelling at the bottom of the tower. It was not long until he heard the princess scream to them to get out. The boy took his sister and put her on the stairs and told her to go down as fast as she could. He turned back to get a few important belongings, an ocarina and a box of photos. As he grabbed them he heard the two downstairs.

"You told," the sorcerer screamed at his wife, the princess.

"I had to, you will kill us all," the princess stood her ground.

"Not a bad idea," he said gruesomely.

The princess-

Link put the book down and placed his head in his hands.

Zelda hugged him tightly.

Aryl took the book and continued.

~STORY~

The princess screamed in pain from the blows of magic. The entire kingdom shook from the force of darkness that now consumed her. She was never seen again.

The evil sorcerer stopped the children from escaping. He reached out and grabbed the little girl as she tried to escape. She fell to the ground in tears. The boy ran and tried to hit the man away from her, but it was no use, the man struck him with a sharp blade across the shoulder. The boy fell to the ground in pain. He bled out onto the ground. He screamed a blood curdling scream causing his little sister to cry.

The man took the two children and dragged them inside. He bandaged the wound and sent them to bed. But they saw what had happened. The Dark magic was all over the little house. The boy had nightmares of that night from that point on.

Over the next few years the father would come home and use his magic on his children, harming them many times. The boy promised to never leave his sister's side one night after she was used as a magic puppet because he was gone. The girl knew that he would be true to his promise and she trusted him. The two promised to never leave the other's side no matter what happened. They loved each other too much to allow the other to fall.

~The End~

Aryl put the book down and sighed.

"Wow," was all Zelda could say.

Link stood up and walked over to the window. He leaned his arm against it and placed his head on his arm, "It's been months and he hasn't shown up."

"I'm sure that," Aryl was honestly not sure what to say.

Zelda knew she couldn't say anything to comfort them.

The next day was Saturday. Zelda went for a walk in the fields outside Castle Town. She enjoyed going over to the far end of the field by the river and sitting on the bank. She sat down and started skipping rocks. After a few rocks she leaned over and looked into the water looking for a small water creature to catch. She saw her reflection quickly and noticed something wrong. She saw someone behind her that she had never seen before. She got up and pretended not to notice him and made her way further down stream. She stopped dead in her tracks when it spoke to her.

"Don't you walk away from me, Zelda," the booming voice was a voice she would never forget. She turned around and looked at the man wide-eyed.

"Wh-what do you want," she took a step back.

"I know that you know where my children are, and I want them back."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Don't play stupid," the man yelled and clenched his fist. Zelda was so frightened she fell to her knees and began to cry.

"No, don't," she put her hands up to her face and began to shake.

The man stood there and looked down on her. Zelda continued to shake and refused to look at him.

"I didn't mean to frighten you dear," he masked his anger with gentleness, "I just want my children back."

Zelda didn't want him to know that she knew anything about what happened to Link and Aryl, "Why are they not with you?"

"Because I had to go somewhere and they needed a place to stay for the time being," he had and evil smile, "They never told me where they went and I am ready to take them back home."

"Oh," she tried to sound honest, "well I'm sure you'll find them."

"But I can't find them," he knelt down beside her, "I can't go see them in school because I'm," he paused, "working," he continued, "and I don't have my son's cell phone number."

"Then why do you think I know where they are?"

"Because I do see him sometimes, never close enough to talk with him," he seemed to be remembering those times, "he holds you close and kisses you."

Zelda got to her knees and stood up.

"I'm sorry you have to be with him though," he said menacingly.

"What are you talking about?"

"He tells girls the same thing only to take advantage of them," he tried to look ashamed.

"That's not true," Zelda backed away.

"'I love you more than I loved anyone in my entire life. I love being around you and hearing your voice and seeing you smile and watching you care for others. You are the most amazing person I ever met and I never want to leave you. I never want to hurt you,'" his words pierced through her heart.

"How did you."

"He said that to every girl he ever met," he looked out to the river, "he would take her and sweep her off her feet, love her, make her love him, and leave her to long for him forever, he doesn't really care. I blame myself," he crossed his arms.

Zelda sat back down on the bank and put her hands on her head, "Lies, lies all of them."

"He's a lot like me," he continued, "Don't you just hate him now?"

Zelda was putting things together in her mind, the same thing Link said to her, his father said to his mother, and now it seems as if he had said it to other girls before, making her just another girl in the group of rejects. She couldn't take it; she stood up and punched a nearby tree. She then let out a cry of pain, not because of her hand, but because of her heart. She cried on the ground there. The man walked up to her and pulled her to her feet.

"Now," he said into her ear, "where is he, so I may take him away and keep you from a terrible heartbreak?"

Zelda stood her ground, "I don't know."

"Fine," he let her go and started to back away slowly. Zelda turned and looked at him as he said, "don't say I didn't warn you." He disappeared.

Zelda ran back to her house and to her room. She couldn't believe what she had been told. Did she dare tell Link? No. If she told Link, he would go to find him and get hurt. But he might deserve it seeing as though he didn't care about her and she cared about him a lot. But what about Aryl? She couldn't take him away from her.

Zelda didn't speak much to Link that weekend. On Monday the three drove to school. Zelda kept the music on pretty loud hindering any conversation. As the school day dragged on Zelda got more and more depressed. She saw girls around her and thought that any one of them might have heard Link say his "pick up line" and might know that she was in a crumbling relationship. Zelda could not stand to even look at Link. It was time for choir practice and she walked to the choir room alone. She knew she would be the first one there and was alright with that; she needed some time to think things through. As she walked into the room she was met with a horrible sight.

Link was lying on the line of chairs on top of Malon; he was kissing her. By the way she was moving, he was the one who made the move. She gasped when she saw Zelda in the doorway and Link shot up.

"Zelda, it's not what it looks like," he tried to explain.

Zelda said nothing; she just dropped her bag shaking her head and ran down the hall.

Malon was the one who ran after her. "Zelda," she called, "Zelda wait up."

Zelda tried to run into a room but the door was locked and Malon caught up to her. Zelda stood and faced her, from what she saw, Malon was just as much a victim as she was.

"Zelda, I did not kiss him," she was catching her breath.

"What happened back there?"

"I confronted him about something he said."

"What did he say?"

"He said," the next few words tore Zelda's life apart, "'I love you more than I loved anyone in my entire life. I love being around you and hearing your voice and seeing you smile and watching you care for others. You are the most amazing person I ever met and I never want to leave you. I never want to hurt you."

"No," Zelda backed against the wall and dropped to the floor, "it can't be true."

"He didn't say it to my face, but I heard from someone else that he said it."

Zelda looked up at her, "Who?"

"I never saw their face, but I saw them at the park and they said that Link said that. They were friends of his, probably Sheik or Dark."

Zelda shook her head in disbelief. She could hear someone running down the hall. Malon and Zelda both turned to see the figure at the end of the hallway. It ran toward them. Malon grabbed Zelda's hand and ran the same direction.

"What are you doing?"

"Just wait."

Malon ran as fast as she could toward the person. Just as they were about to collide the other got out of the way and they made it out. Zelda looked back and saw the figure turn and chase them again. Zelda then began to run faster. Soon she was pulling Malon outside. She ran around to the wood workshop and ran in. She opened the door and ran inside toward the gym. She made a sharp left and ran for the freshman lockers. Aryl was finishing putting her books into her backpack. She jumped when she saw Malon and Zelda running toward her. The two stopped and Malon almost fell over.

"You ready to go? Great, let's put your stuff in the car."

Aryl never had a chance to say anything. They made their way quickly to the car and she opened the front door and let Aryl in.

"But, don't you want to sit next to Link?"

"I want to sit next to you today," she said shaking a little.

Malon saw someone coming toward them from a distance and she wanted to tell Zelda one last thing before she left in a rush, "Zelda, he jumped on me, he seemed to be struggling to get off me not long before you got in, but he then just stayed on top of me. I don't know what came over him, but I'd be careful if I were you," she then ran to her car and got in and drove off as fast as she was allowed.

Zelda turned and saw the figure coming toward her. She was relieved to see that it was Tetra.

"Hey, aren't you coming to choir practice?"

"Sorry," Zelda was still a little out of breath, "sore throat, I can't sing."

"Oh, okay, well see you guys tomorrow," Tetra walked away and Zelda turned around.

Link was sitting in the middle of the front seat. If Zelda got in he would be right next to her and practically on top of her. She did not want that right now. She threw the keys at him.

"You drive then," she said in a huff.

"Wha-," Link was not planning on having that happen at all.

Zelda go into the back seat and buckled up. She looked out her window and refused to look at the front seat.

That night Zelda stayed in her room. She said she wasn't feeling well, which was true, and she stayed in bed all evening.

At about 9 o'clock there was a knock at the door, "Who is it," Zelda called trying to hide the fact that she was crying.

"Your mother, can I come in?"

"Yes."

He mother opened the door and walked in with a cup of hot tea. As she sat on her bed she grabbed a tissue from her pocket and handed it to her, "Toilet paper is never a good choice for helping with a good cry."

Zelda took the tissue and wiped some tears away, "I know."

Her mother gave her the tea, "It's hot. Now, what happened yesterday that made you so sad, and then what happened today that broke your heart?"

Zelda looked at her mother, "Sometimes I wish you wouldn't do that, but not now."

Her mother motioned for her to continue.

"Yesterday I met," she paused, "an old friend of Link's. He said that Link really didn't care about me. He even quoted what Link said when he told me he loved me. It made me doubt his love. I mean, he had Ruto freshman year, another random girl sophomore year, and me junior year. I don't think he really cares. Then today I saw him kissing another girl behind my back. She even told me that she didn't do anything. I don't know who to believe anymore. The person who told me has been called a liar before, but this girl who Link kissed said the same thing he said to me, only with regard to her," Zelda put her head in her pillow and cried.

"I know it seems hard to understand, but you might want to get Link to tell you what happened before you start judging," her mother rubbed her back for a while as she cried.

The next morning at about 5 in the morning Zelda got up and took a walk to Hyrule Field. She walked back to her favorite part of the field. The same place she saw Link's father a few days before. She stooped down and washed her face in the river's cold water. When she looked up she saw a familiar sight again. He walked up to her.

"I don't know if you're right, or if you just have a lot of evil luck," Zelda stood her ground in front of him.

"Why? Did he hurt you," he seemed pleased.

"That's none of your concern," Zelda took a step toward him.

"I wouldn't say such things if I were you."

Zelda stood still.

"Well, if he did hurt you, I'm sure he'd say it was just an accident or even find a way to blame it on some crazy ex-girlfriend," he turned and began to walk away.

"What do you mean?"

He turned back, "I'm just saying that if my son hurt you like he did all the other girls in his life, he would find some outrageous story and put up every defense to make it seem real," he paused. "But just remember one thing my dear, if he really did care, why would he put himself into that position in the first place?"

Zelda looked out into the river. When she looked back to him, he was gone. Zelda ran back home and got ready for another day at school. Aryl was being picked up by a friend and staying with them for a day or so. That meant Zelda and Link would drive to school alone.

Zelda ate breakfast and looked at her mother.

"His side of the story," she said.

"I know."

The two made their way to the car. Zelda put her bag into the back seat and Link did the same. Zelda held the keys out to him. "You want to drive?"

Link walked up to her and grabbed her hand and the keys at the same time. She tried to pull her hand out but he had a grip like a python. He grabbed the back of her neck and pushed it toward him. He kissed her gently on the lips. Zelda didn't want to, but she fought back. She pushed against him. When that didn't work she kneed him in the groin.

When he let go and backed in pain Zelda went to the other side of the car and got into the back seat. She crossed her arms and looked out the window. Link put his hand on the hood of the car and sighed. This went more wrong than he hoped. He got in the car and drove to school. He didn't even try to talk to her about anything. The day was just as silent between them as if they never even met before.

The group was worried.

"I really messed up yesterday," Link explained, "I went somewhere I shouldn't have and I hurt Zelda. Now she won't talk to me."

Sheik was disappointed, "How could you do that?"

"Is that why she left choir early," Tetra asked.

Link nodded.

Dark hit him in the back of the head, "You can't go around hurting a girl's feelings and not say anything to her."

Midna was impressed, but still upset, "He's right Link, I know she'd forgive you no matter what you did."

"But that's just it," he sank in his seat, "I didn't do it."

"But you just said-"

"Yes, I did technically do it, but I didn't mean to have it happen, I didn't want it to happen," he interrupted Tetra.

"What did you do," Sheik asked.

"I went to the choir room to talk to Zelda, wish her luck for choir, but Malon and Ruto were there. I should have left as soon as I saw them, but I didn't. Malon said something about me saying something about her. Ruto agreed. The next thing I knew I was on top of her kissing her. Then Zelda walked in. Malon got really confused and scared and she took Zelda and ran before I could explain myself to them both," Link put his head in his hands. "There is no way I'll be able to earn her trust again. I hurt her so much when I did that, and I promised I'd never hurt her."

Malon walked up from behind them, "You said that about me too."

Everyone looked at her in shock.

"What? No I didn't."

"Yes you did. Ruto said that you said, and I quote, 'I love you more than I loved anyone in my entire life. I love being around you and hearing your voice and seeing you smile and watching you care for others. You are the most amazing person I ever met and I never want to leave you. I never want to hurt you.' How do you explain that," she crossed her arms and stared at him.

Things began to make sense to him. He had to make it right before it was too late for him and Zelda. She was on her way to her locker to get her things so she could leave.

"What?"

"I know why you're mad at me," Link began.

"No kidding," Zelda said sarcastically she was fed up with Link being so stupid.

"That hurt," Link said looking down.

"Imagine how I feel," she walked away.

"Will you let me explain?"

Zelda remembered what her mother told her to do. She also remembered what his father said the night before.

"It wasn't me."

Zelda had already heard enough, "Not you," she practically screamed, "wasn't that you kissing some other girl all alone in the choir room? Who knows where it would have gone if I wasn't there to get Malon out of there. I know your roots; I know how much you are like your father!"

"Don't ever compare me to him," Link went at her suddenly.

Zelda gasped and ran off.

Link realized what he had just done; he really was like his father. Link fell to the ground and screamed. Zelda was just around the corner on the ground. She wanted to scream too.

She was too scared to go to the car. Who knows what he might do to her. He was too unstable and he may snap. She ran to Tetra.

"Tetra," she almost ran into her because of her tears.

"Hey, watch out, you might run someone over," she stopped when she saw Zelda's tears, "What happened?"

"Link," she said through her tears, "he tried to, to," she stopped.

"To what," Tetra tried to understand.

"To hit me," she said going wide-eyed.

"What?"

Sheik and Dark were close by when they heard.

"Where is he," Dark asked.

"By the main doors," Zelda was on the floor in tears.

The two boys ran off. Midna walked out of a classroom and asked where they were going.

"To Link, he tried to hit Zelda," Tetra explained.

Midna took a step back and then bolted after them.

"Take me home, please," Zelda stood up wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Okay," Tetra had her license by now, along with Midna, and could drive Zelda home.

Link was in the same place he was before when the three found him.

"What is your problem," Dark picked Link up by the shirt.

"Do you realize what you did," Sheik walked up from behind.

"This did not help your cause at all," Midna came running from behind them all.

Dark put Link on his feet, "What exactly did you do?"

"She said that I was like my father and I yelled at her to never say that ever again," Link flew to the ground after Dark punched him in the stomach.

Sheik walked up behind him and helped Link up, "That's what you did to Zelda."

"I never touched her," Link was shocked, "did she tell you I hit her?"  
"No," Dark said, "but you might as well have. You scared her to death and now she's crying in agony in Tetra's arms when she should be in your arms."

Midna stepped in front of Dark, "You need to go to her and tell her that you'd never do something like that ever again."

"How can I," Link was in dismay, "I've done the research. Chances are I'm going to be abusive. There is nothing I can do to stop it. When I yelled at her it felt so normal, like I should have yelled at her."

"No, Link," Midna grabbed his hands, "you can fight it, you don't have to be like your father. You just need someone who will make you mad a lot to teach you to not lash out at what is said and not to attack."

"Especially not to attack," Dark added.

"My dad made me mad a lot, but that was when he was mad and I knew I had to get Aryl out of harms way."

"That's it," Sheik knew what had to be done, "you just need to put Zelda in Aryl's place when You get angry, then, you will know to get Zelda out of danger when you get angry. You run off a little anger and she is safe."

"But I still get mad," Link was looking for every loophole he could possibly find.

"Then just don't get mad," said Dark grabbing Link's shirt again.

"I can't do that, Dark," Link just looked calmly at him, "I got so mad at her, I felt like hurting her."

"What stopped you," Midna slapped Dark's hand away.

"I saw the fear in her eyes when I said it," Link looked down at his feet.

"There you go; think of the fear in her eyes when you are getting angry and you won't have the problem."

Link's face had a twisted, ugly look on it. The group all stood back in shock.

"She said I was like my father; I am not like my father. He is evil and only care about himself. He doesn't love her like I love her." He began to pound his fists into the floor.

"Link," Sheik grabbed his arm, "get a hold of yourself."

Link pushed Sheik hard in the stomach. Sheik fell to the ground.

"What's your problem all of the sudden?"

"'What's your problem all of the sudden,'" Link mocked, "You are trying to make me believe I wont be abusive, but you know as well as I that simply putting Zelda in Aryl's place means I won't hurt her."

"I don't understand," Midna cried as Link pushed her into the lockers.

"Don't you dare," Dark grabbed Link but he didn't budge.

"If I can't stop myself from yelling at her, what makes you think I'll stop myself from _killing_ her?"  
Dark kicked Link in the side and sent him to the ground.

Midna took her chance to get in on the fight and not be the damsel in distress.

Sheik and Dark hand Link pinned to the ground.

"We only do this because we care about you," Midna said.

"Oh, and what do you plan on doing," Link started thrashing about, "Zelda doesn't love me any more so what do I have to loose?"

He pulled everyone off of him and stood up. He was about to lunge at Midna when someone grabbed him from behind.

Link turned and threw them to the ground. The person was not alone. There were two there. The second took their chance to pin him down. The person was thrown off and into the lockers. Link grabbed them by their neck and shoulder. He was about to punch them in the face when they touched his hand gently.

"Please don't."

The voice rang pure and clear. The hands were soft and warm. Link let go as soon as he realized when happened. Zelda had a bloody lip. She didn't let go of his hand.

Link realized what he had been doing. Sheik had a sore stomach and a cut on his arm. Dark had a bloody nose and bruises on his legs already. Midna was covered in bruises from head to foot. Tetra, who was the one who grabbed Link from behind, had a scrape on her left arm from mid bicep to elbow. They all stood and waited to see what would happen.

He looked back to Zelda. She was not moving. It was time for the explaining.

Link sat on the floor.

"Not here," Sheik said pulling him up.

"My house," Zelda helped Tetra up.

Midna and Dark walked up to Link. He was ready for a slap in the face from either one of them. Midna only put her hand gently on his face. Dark looked down at his shoes.

At Zelda's house Link was put in a chair in Zelda's bedroom to explain everything.

His explanation began.

"To put it simply, I got really mad about how you guys were so determined to help me not be abusive. I know I am destined to be abusive like my father. I wanted to show you that I will never change. Then once I started, I couldn't stop. I got madder and madder and I lost sight of who you were, who I was. I no longer cared and I wanted you to give up, just like I did. I'm sorry. I never want to be like that. Nothing feels right when I'm like that. I feel like…"

"Your father," Zelda finished the thought.

Link looked at her in acceptance, "my father," he repeated.

Everyone forgave him. They left Link and Zelda to figure thins out on their own.

"I'm sorry," Link never looked at her.

"I'm sorry too. Sorry you had to start off an explanation with 'it wasn't me.'"

Link looked up at her, "You're right. It was me, and I never wanted it to happen. I went to the choir room to wish you good luck that day, you were mad at me for some reason. I really couldn't think of what I had done to make you so mad. When I got to the choir room, Ruto and Malon were already there. Malon ran up to me and asked me why I said something. Ruto was a little frazzled about something. I asked Malon what I said and she walked over to the chairs and started to sit down. I walked over to her to see what she was going to say. The next thing I knew I was on top of her and our faces were touching. She was fighting to get me off but something was on my back. The next, next thing I knew the weight was off my back. I was struggling to get off when I heard Malon gasp I looked to where she was looking and you were in the doorway. I was going to explain but Malon took you away from me. Then, today Malon heard me talking to the guys and she heard me say that I never wanted to hurt you, I promised. She then said that I said that about her. Then it all made sense."

Link walked up to Zelda and held her hand. She looked away.

"I love you more than I loved anyone in my entire life. I love being around you and hearing your voice and seeing you smile and watching you care for others. You are the most amazing person I ever met and I never want to leave you. I never want to hurt you."

"Please don't say that."

"There's more to this than you think. When I was ten I thought of everything I would say to my true love. Everything I thought of saying I got from my mom."

Zelda looked back to Link.

"I asked her what she really wanted in a man. She said that he had to love her more than anything, love everything she said, and did, and he had to think that she was the best and never want to leave or hurt her. And I only had one criterion to add to that, she had to have a pretty smile."

"What about the book?"

"Like I said, it was what my mother wanted. So I put everything I'd say to my true love, because I wanted someone like my mom as a wife, and put it into the stories I would tell Aryl."

"How did he know then," the words slipped out of her mouth before she realized it.

"Who?"

"No one," Zelda turned away.

"Who are you talking about?"

"I said no one," Zelda was not going to put him in danger.

"Zelda, tell me, it made you upset before. I don't want you being upset ever again," Link was serious.

Zelda had a choice to make. Either lie to him and let his father be taken care of by police, or tell him and risk loosing him because of his anger for him. She had to choose fast.

Zelda stood suddenly when the door opened. Aryl ran in and grabbed Link around the neck.

"I saw him," she was crying, "he saw me come into the house, he knows where we are."

Zelda had no choice now, "I know he's here. He's been talking to me. Every time I go to Hyrule Field he's there. He talks to me and tries to get me to tell where you are. I can't take him to the police so I sit and listen to him. He tells me of you and how you two are so much alike and how proud he is that you are like him. I get mad and run away at those points. But Link I promise you he will not be here for much longer."

Link took Aryl and locked her in a small room that they made for an emergency hideout in case this happened. He was silent the entire time.

Zelda picked up the phone and called the police and told them that Link's father was there and had seen Aryl walk in. They advised her to have it look like a social visit until the police got there.

Zelda and Link took Aryl back out of the hiding spot and made their way to the front door. Zelda had given Link instructions for him to drive around to a secret back entrance where she and a guard would get into the car and they would drive for a while until police found his father. They had to make sure to be loud so their father could hear but also be normal.

"Thank you for having me over Zelda," Link kissed her, she kissed back partly because she wanted to make it real, but mostly because she missed his kisses. Zelda gave Aryl a hug.

"I'm sorry I had to come over from my friends' house instead of going straight to the house Zelda, but it's a shorter drive for Medli's mom that way.

"No problem Aryl," she turned to Link, gave him a hug, and kissed him one last time, "Be careful on your way home, Link. I'll see you tomorrow at school."

"See ya," Link and Aryl got into the car and drove off. Zelda shut the door and ran to the other door as fast as she could. In two minutes Link was back and she and the guard got in the back seat.

Zelda leaned forward and held onto Link's shoulder as he drove for a long time. He stopped and got himself and Aryl something to eat. The guard kept a watch for cars behind them. One was following them closely.

"We have to make up a fake home quickly or else we'll be found out," he said calmly.

"I have an idea," Link said patiently.

Zelda was worried about his plan. He drove to Sheik's house. He knocked on the door and was quickly let in. He drove the car into the garage. "Quickly," he got Aryl out of the car, "Zelda, change clothes with her."

"Link, my hair," Zelda had darker hair than Aryl.

"Put my cap on," he handed her his green baseball cap.

She soon changed into Aryl's clothes. "Now what?"

"Get in the car."

Zelda did as she was told. The guard was still in the back seat. Aryl was left at the house.

They pulled out of the garage. Link rolled down the window and spoke to Sheik.

"Thanks for letting me borrow you car oil," he nodded.

"Don't crash, do you hear," Sheik was worried.

Zelda kept looking down. Link pulled out of the driveway and made his way to a new destination. Zelda was getting scared. Link held her hand.

"That's all I can do to help you."

Zelda looked up at him and tried to smile, but she was nervous. He drove to the park next.

The two got out of the car.

"Just follow my lead."

Zelda had no choice. He sat her on top of a jungle gym. She sat uneasily. Link climbed up and sat next to her. Link pointed to the sky and she looked up.

"Aryl and I like stargazing."

Zelda tried her best to act like Aryl.

"We dance to music at night too," he smiled at her.

"Link is your father in that car over behind me," Zelda saw the car at a glance as Link put her on the jungle gym.

Link looked at the car, "Yes."

She jumped at every sound she heard from that point on. Link had to watch her to make sure she would not run. Then he got an idea.

"Tag, you're it."

Zelda stood in shock.

"C'mon Aryl, you scared you can't catch me?"

Zelda took a step back, she then remembered who was behind her and she took off running to Link. He waited until Zelda was about five feet away and ran away from her.

"Link," Zelda was sounding panicked.

Link ran to where his father was.

"Link," Zelda yelled a little louder.

"C'mon Aryl, you'll never catch me if you don't run."

Link was ten feet away from his father and Zelda took off in a dead run toward him. She was running so fast she lost her footing and fell. She grabbed the sliding pole. She swung a little around it and ended up upside down trying to hold on. Link ran to her and helped her up.

"You are going into pole dancing?"

Zelda stood up and fixed her hat. She playfully pushed Link over, "Tag, you're it."

Zelda ran over to the car and got on the other side of it. Link took the bait and raced after her. Link thought he had her trapped, but she had a plan. She pretended to go one way and he once again took the bait. She jumped up onto the car and went over. She turned and winked at him. She took the chance to do a flip into a ballet spin to taunt him.

Link was happy to be with Zelda, but he had to remember that she was Aryl.

"Hey Aryl, check this out," he ran to the swing set and pulled himself up and did chin-ups.

Zelda was impressed. She walked up to the swing set as well; she walked past to the monkey bars. She jumped up and pulled herself with her arms and started walking across them on her hands.

She made sure to watch out for the hat. When she reached the other side Link was there. He told her to fall backward, "I'll catch you."

Zelda fell backward. She was heavier than Aryl so he fell backward with her. They hit the ground laughing. Link stood up and picked Zelda up. "Is he still there?"

Zelda looked over his shoulder. He was still there.

Link watched her face go to one of horror, "What is it?"

"He's getting out of the car," Zelda held his forearms tighter.

"Quickly," he whispered, "to the car."

Zelda hesitated.

"Race you to the car," Link pulled her arm and made her run.

Zelda was scared, but she ran anyway.

They stayed side by side until they got to the car. Link jumped into the car from the passenger side and Zelda jumped in and closed the door. She locked them and Link started the car. They took off out of the park. Zelda watched as Link's father ran back to the car and started after them.

"Seat belt," Link yelled.

Zelda turned around and put her seat belt on, "Where are we going now?"

"You getting excited?"

Zelda looked up at him, she smiled an excited smile.

"We're on our way to the forest," Link saw Zelda's smile turn into a state of panic.

"There's no road in the forest."

"That's why you need to have your seat belt on."

"You're so lucky I love you," Zelda braced for the impact of entering the forest.

They rode for five minutes before the car was stuck in a ditch. The three people got out of the car and listened for a minute. It was quiet for a while and the three caught there breathe. Link and the guard started to get the car out of the ditch until Zelda yelled to them.

"I hear a car coming."

The guard took Zelda by the hand and started running. Link was right next to her. He soon took her hand as well. The three were running blindly into the forest with a man in a hummer driving after them.

"He'll get stuck too and come after us on foot," the guard said in between breaths.

"We have to find a safe place to hide," Link said.

Zelda said nothing, she just ran.

They soon found themselves by a river.

Zelda took charge, "Run upstream."

The two others looked at her.

"Everyone runs downstream to civilization, but we need to do the unexpected."

They stopped and listened into the woods for some sign that Link's father was even coming toward them. They all heard the sound of a distant engine.

"ATV," Link said getting into the water.

"What are you doing," the guard was the only one left out of the plan.

Zelda climbed up a tree with a vine. She reached down to the guard.

"Help me make a lasso to pull him off the ATV," she said.

"It will never work."

"It will, trust me."

Link was across the river; Zelda gave her final instructions.

"When he stops, lasso him and jump down, pull him from his bike and tie him up."

"What about you?"

She jumped from the branch she was sitting on and into the river, "I'll help be bait."

The two sat on the other side of the river waiting. They heard the ATV getting closer. They set the bait.

"I can't believe that you ditched it in the middle of the forest, Link," Zelda screamed.

"Aryl, it was your idea to go for a joyride in the forest," Link screamed back.

"There's an ATV-er coming, I'll get his attention for some help," Zelda stood up and started waving her arms. Link's father saw her and rode over to her. "Hey, a little help over here."

"I'll help you alright; help you to your graves, and no one to hear your dying screams."

Zelda screamed and Link stood in front of her.

"You get away from her. I'll stop you right here, right now."

The lasso went around the man's ribs and he was pulled from the ATV. The guard tied him up and took him into custody. Link and Zelda were relieved to see the man finally in custody. They jumped into the river again and came up on the other side. As they came out of the water they were horrified to see the guard knocked unconscious. Link's father was pulling the last of the rope off his body.

Link took Zelda's hand and they jumped back into the river. This time they went downstream. They heard his father jump in after them.

Zelda fought to keep ahead of his father but he swam very fast. Soon he had caught up to the both of them. Zelda took her chance and started kicking him as much as she could. She scratched and bit and kicked for her life. Link made it to land and saw the fight. He grabbed a vine and tied it to a tree and then his waist. He dove in again and pulled Zelda from his father's grip. She continued to kick him even after she was out of his grip. He got caught in a current and was quickly pulled down stream. Zelda was still kicking even after she was out of the water.

"You can stop Zelda, he's gone downstream," Link held her by her arms as she struggled to stand.

They were in the dark at this point; the moon was behind the trees that they were seeing by for the past hour. She could still see though. She saw the man get out of the river on the opposite side. Zelda and Link watched as the man walked back upstream to them.

"You, my own daughter, beat me?"

Zelda said nothing. Link grabbed her hand and ran downstream again. "Sorry, but we have to be a little predictable."

Zelda looked back toward his father. He was running on the other side of the river. She suddenly recognized where they were. She stopped Link before it was too late. She looked in horror as his father did not stop in time. She ran to the edge of the cliff and watched the man tumble down reaching for some sort of hope. The moon was out again and Link and Zelda see well.

The man reached the bottom of the cliff and stood up.

"He just won't die will he?"

Zelda stood up and looked at where they had come from. She looked back down the cliff and saw the man climbing it. He was going quickly.

"It'll only be a matter of time by the time he reaches the top," Link took her hand again. Zelda stopped him. She was going to wait.

"C'mon Zelda, we have to get out of here."

"I'm ending this tonight. I will not let him keep coming back for you and Aryl."

Link was not about to let her do this. He picked her up and tried to get her to go but she fought her way out of his grip. She fell to the ground and there she stayed.

"I want you to go back and find the guard. Take him to safety."

"I am not going to leave you here."

"I'll be fine, I promise."

"There's no way you're doing this alone."

Zelda began to cry, "I need you to go back to the guard. Go get help okay?"

Link stood his ground. So Zelda stood up and tied herself to a tree with a vine, "I will end this and I will do it alone."

Link started to pull at the vines but Zelda slapped and bit him every time he tried.

"This will be the least of the pain you'll feel if you stay here, trust me."

"Nothing's going to your mind."

Zelda shook her head.

She took the ball cap off and gave it to Link. As he took it from her hands she kissed him. It was the last time they would kiss in such a situation. He walked away slowly and watched her look over the cliff.

Link watched her as he continued to walk away. Soon she was out of sight. He then listened.

"So, Aryl, you are the one to face me?"

"No," Zelda walked into the light, "I will face you. It ends here and now."

"You," he took a step toward the edge of the river.

The waterfall to their right roared at them. Zelda picked up and rock and threw it straight at his head. He took the blow.

"You are the one who fought me in the river."

"And I'm the one who will end this pain and destruction caused by you."

The man wasted no time and began to climb a tree to make his way across the river to her.

"I'm not running from you."

After a few minuets he was over and facing her.

He grabbed her arm and she kicked and scratched as much as she could. He pulled her hair and tried to throw her into the river but she found an opening and made him let go. She kicked and flipped and dodged and threw punches. She fought as hard as she could for as long as she could. They were both tired. Zelda grabbed his shoulders and tried to throw him into the river and down the waterfall. He did the same. Soon they were struggling to keep their balance. The both fell into the river. Zelda found a branch and held on for dear life. He found her legs and held onto her.

"The branch is breaking," she cried.

"Then we both die," he said with an evil grin.

Zelda wiggled as much as she could to get him off of her. He would not let go. She finally got one leg out of his grip and she started kicking. Nothing worked so she began trying to find a place to put her foot for support. She found a place and dug in. She heard yelling in the distance. She knew Link had found help and was on his way back to her. She continued to struggle to get him off of her. He suddenly let go with one hand. He had he by the ankle.

"Get off," she cried.

"Only after you let go," he said raising his hand out of the water. He had a huge rock in his hand. Just as help made it to the edge of the river he threw the rock at her head. It hit hard. She was knocked out and in turn fell into the river current down the waterfall. Link watched in horror as her body went over the side.

He ran to the ledge and saw her body enter the rocky waters below. His father was not seen. He did not move until he saw he body floating in the middle of the lake below. Word was sent to the people down there to get her body and see if she was still alive. By the time they made it down there her body was just found. Link watched as her lifeless body was pulled onto dry land and she was examined. People tried to resuscitate her but no one had much hope. Link fell next to her body. He lifted her head and placed it on his lap.

"I still love you," he said kissing her gently on the lips. He dried her face with his shirt and stroked her hair. Tears ran down his face as the people around him told him to let her go, "I'll never let her go."

Ruto lived in the village at the base of the waterfall. She watched everything. She was truly sorry for what she had done to them. Link was so kind and caring; he loved anyone only because he loved her.

Link pressed his lips on hers one more time, he cried as he did so and a tear fell into her eye. She winced when it hit. Link felt her face move. He lifted his head higher above hers.

Zelda still did not wake, but she was alive. He laid her back on the ground and listened to her heart. The beat was faint, but it was there.

"You're alive," he said softly.

He touched her face gently with the tips of his fingers. She began to wince every so often. He listened again to her heart. The beat was getting louder and a little faster.

He lifted her up and walked her over to the ambulance, "she's alive," he said softly.

The medics hooked her up to machines and put up monitors. They watched the screens, nothing.

Link was heartbroken. He touched her again with his fingertips. This time her arm; the heart rate went from nothing to a beat.

"It's irregular, but whatever you're doing keep it up," the medic called as he began to get fluids set up.

Link ran his fingers up and down her arms and then her neck. She responded well to Link kissing her fingers. He took her hand and kissed one finger at a time. He kissed her palm. She knew it was him. Her hands began to become warmer. She was responding to touch. He touched her ankles. Then he went up to her knee. He dared go no further. He kissed her on the cheek slowly and gently. She was getting stronger and stronger with every touch. Soon, she was stable. They were at the hospital now and she was in the hospital bed. Her parents were on their way home from a business trip on the other side of Hyrule. They would not be there for days yet. The doctors said that she would wake up any minute and they could take her home.

The police asked questions of what happened. "Only Zelda knows what happened," said Link. After everyone had left the room, Link took Zelda's arm and put it around his shoulders. He then put his arm around her waist. He kissed her in the lips as passionately as he could without hurting her. He soon felt someone pushing their arm into his back. A hand was holding his face. He opened his eyes to see Zelda leaning up to him. He slowly backed away and watched her lay down and open her eyes.

"I didn't end it, did I?"

"He fell into the rocks head first, it didn't matter how string he was, his head was crushed from the blow. He's gone forever."

Zelda was happy and sad at the same time.

"I didn't want to ever kill him," she said.

"I don't care that you killed him, the fact is that he's dead and Aryl and I are free; thanks to you."

In a few hours Zelda was free to go home. Link picked her up and carried her out to the car. He placed her in and took her home. He never let her feet touch the ground as he walked her up to her room. He placed her gently on the bed and covered her up. Aryl was home and she checked on her when she was home. Link let Aryl have some alone time with Zelda.

"Thank you for taking my place and almost dying to save us."

"It's the least I can do for my friend who is more like a sister."

Aryl hugged her and left the room. She turned out the lights and told Link to let her sleep.

The rest of the school year and summer went by quickly. As seniors the two had their moments. But they were always able to make it through because they loved each other. On graduation Dark proposed to Midna, who accepted. And the wedding was one to remember. They had the darkest wedding you could think of. The orange haired girl had her day and it was one none of the group would forget; especially when Zelda caught the bouquet.

First year of college was a blast for the six of them. The married couple was just like the freaky couple back in high school. Sheik was still about being a bad boy, until he met another certain someone who was not about the bad boys, but the gentlemen. They haven't been apart since. Tetra found a pirate with a red boat and the two of them had two beautiful children, after marriage of course.

Zelda and Link married their second year of college. They lived in the farm country and had beautiful children run around their house for years, most of which were not theirs. Aryl found love too, she found it with Fado. The two of them now have three kids running around Link and Zelda's home. Two of them are Tetra's, three are Midna and Dark's, four are Sheik's, and three are Link and Zelda's. The four couples basically had it made for the rest of their lives. Because nothing was exactly what it seemed.

THE END


End file.
